Lymph Node Immune Profiles as Predictive Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response

Abstract

The need for predictive biomarkers that can accurately predict patients who will respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapies remains a clinically unmet need. The majority of research efforts have focused on expression of immune-related markers on the tumour and its associated tumour microenvironment (TME). However, immune response to tumour neoantigens starts at the regional lymph nodes, where antigen presentation takes place and is regulated by multiple cell types and mechanisms. Knowledge of the immunological responses in bystander lymphoid organs following ICI therapies and their association with changes in the TME, could prove to be a valuable component in understanding the treatment response to these agents. Here, we review the emerging data on assessment of immunological responses within regional lymph nodes as predictive biomarkers for immunotherapies.

Keywords: biomarker; immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI); immune microenviroment; immune profiling; immune surveillance; lymph node.