Case Report: Response to Immunotherapy, Can Radiotherapy Be a Troublemaker?

Front Immunol. 2021 Nov 4:12:745146. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.745146. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Immunotherapy has dramatically changed the treatment landscape for several tumor types. However, the impact of previous radiotherapy (RT) on response to immunotherapy is still unknown. We report the case of a 58-year-old female diagnosed with a squamous anal cell carcinoma previously treated with RT and having a dissociated response to anti-PD1 agent. An extensive analysis of the immune contexture performed on the tissue collected from both previously RT-treated and RT-untreated lesions confirmed differences on immune microenvironment, highlighting the potential impact of radiotherapy on the immune response.

Keywords: anal squamous cell carcinoma; immune microenvironment; immunotherapy; radiation therapy; tumor response.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Anus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Anus Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy*
  • Chemoradiotherapy / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Radiotherapy / adverse effects*
  • Tumor Microenvironment / radiation effects*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • pembrolizumab

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.16803661