Nicola Silvestris1, Oronzo Brunetti2, Rosamaria Pinto3, Daniela Petriella3, Antonella Argentiero4, Livia Fucci5, Stefania Tommasi3, Katia Danza3, Simona De Summa3. 1. a Medical Oncology Unit and Scientific Directorate , Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" , Bari , Italy. 2. b Medical Oncology Unit , Hospital of Barletta , Barletta , Italy. 3. c Pharmacogenetics and Molecular Diagnostic Unit , Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" , Bari , Italy. 4. d Medical Oncology Unit , Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" , Bari , Italy. 5. e Histopathological Unit , Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" , Bari , Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Adenosquamous cancer of pancreas (ASCP) is a rare variant of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is characterized by poor prognosis and lacks of literature data supporting the choice of systemic therapies. The role of immunotherapy for this malignancy is still unknown. In this study, we evaluated any differences between immune-related genes of PDAC and its adenosquamous variant with the aim to characterize these histothistotypes and eventually identify potential biomarkers useful for an immune-therapy approach in ASCP. METHODS: We compared the mutational status of a customized gene panel, including 41 genes involved in immunity checkpoint, inflammation and control of leukocytes, B and T cells proliferation of PDAC and ASCP. Moreover, we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). RESULTS: We observed a status of 'hypermutation' of genes included in our panel in ASCP (22/41 mutated genes). Furtheremore, PD-L1 was found to be expressed in about 15% of the squamous component of ASCP tissue. CONCLUSION: Due to genetic characteristics and to PD-L1 expression in ASCP compared to PDAC tissue, we can conclude that ASCP presents a potential sensitivity to immunological therapy.
OBJECTIVES:Adenosquamous cancer of pancreas (ASCP) is a rare variant of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is characterized by poor prognosis and lacks of literature data supporting the choice of systemic therapies. The role of immunotherapy for this malignancy is still unknown. In this study, we evaluated any differences between immune-related genes of PDAC and its adenosquamous variant with the aim to characterize these histothistotypes and eventually identify potential biomarkers useful for an immune-therapy approach in ASCP. METHODS: We compared the mutational status of a customized gene panel, including 41 genes involved in immunity checkpoint, inflammation and control of leukocytes, B and T cells proliferation of PDAC and ASCP. Moreover, we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). RESULTS: We observed a status of 'hypermutation' of genes included in our panel in ASCP (22/41 mutated genes). Furtheremore, PD-L1 was found to be expressed in about 15% of the squamous component of ASCP tissue. CONCLUSION: Due to genetic characteristics and to PD-L1 expression in ASCP compared to PDAC tissue, we can conclude that ASCP presents a potential sensitivity to immunological therapy.
Authors: Beate Haugk; David Horton; Kofi Oppong; John Leeds; Antony Darne; Philip Sloan; Thomas Ness; Claire Jones; Paul Bassett; Manu Nayar Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-10-28 Impact factor: 4.379