Molecular and Radiological Features of Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer Cases With Dramatic Responses to Immunotherapy

Abstract

Background/aim: The majority of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases, which are microsatellite stable (MSS) and do not harbor mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability, are resistant to immunotherapy. Identification of patients with exceptional responses in MSS CRC and predictive biomarkers is an unmet need that needs to be addressed.

Case report: We report three cases of MSS CRC with durable clinical benefit from immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors. Two cases bear a POLE P286R mutation, which has been associated with lack of immunotherapy response in MSS CRC. Two cases bear alterations in Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) which may contribute to observed responses, including interaction with a co-administered intratumoral stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway agonist in one patient.

Conclusion: Novel DNA damage repair alterations, including mutations in ATM, can provide insight into additional mechanisms by which genomic alterations can sensitize MSS CRC to diverse immunotherapies.

Keywords: DNA damage; Immunotherapy; checkpoint inhibition; colorectal cancer.