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N.P. Rizk



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    MO19 - Lung Cancer Immunobiology (ID 91)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Mini Oral Abstract Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      MO19.02 - The Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Octogenarians with Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Implications for Immunotherapy (ID 3155)

      10:35 - 10:40  |  Author(s): N.P. Rizk

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background
      The elderly have less-robust immune responses to infections, immunizations, and tumors, compared with younger people. Furthermore, preclinical studies have indicated that immunotherapeutic interventions are less effective in older animals. Considering the effects of age-associated changes in immune function, most clinical trials of cancer-related immunotherapy have been conducted in relatively young patients. With the increasing focus on immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we investigated the relationship between patient age and tumor immune parameters in stage I NSCLC.

      Methods
      Tissue microarrays from patients with stage I NSCLC (n=1371; 1995-2009; median follow-up, 3.5 years) were constructed, and immunohistochemical analyses for immune cell infiltration (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, FoxP3) were performed. Patients were categorized into 3 groups: (1) ≤65 years old, (2) 66-79 years old, and (3) ≥80 years old. Stains were analyzed for immune cell infiltration (low vs high) in the tumor nest. The Chi-Square test was used to analyze the association between immune parameters and age group. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS).

      Results
      In total, 1116 patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma and 255 patients with stage I squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. Patients aged ≥80 years did not have a significantly poorer prognosis (n=155; 5-year RFS, 76.0%) than the patients in the two younger groups (p=0.65; Figure 1A). There were no statistically significant differences in numbers of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor nest between the three groups (Figure 1B), nor was there a statistically significant difference between the elderly group and the younger patients when effector regulatory immune response ratios were compared (FoxP3/CD3 ratio; high vs low, p=0.85). Figure 1

      Conclusion
      In this large cohort of stage I NSCLC patients selected for surgical resection, the tumor microenvironment among elderly patients resembles other age groups. Our study provides important information while considering immunotherapy in elderly patients with lung cancer.

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    P2.18 - Poster Session 2 - Pathology (ID 176)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Pathology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.18-003 - Spread Through Alveolar Spaces (STAS): A Newly Recognized Pattern of Invasion in Lung Adenocarcinoma Associated with Increased Recurrence in Patients Undergoing Limited Resection for ≤2cm Tumors (ID 295)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): N.P. Rizk

      • Abstract

      Background
      We have recently demonstrated that presence of the micropapillary pattern increases the risk of local recurrence after limited resection for ≤2 cm lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). In cases of tumors with the micropapillary pattern, a detached collection of tumor cells is frequently identified within an alveolar space separate from the main tumor, which we have named “Spread Through Alveolar Spaces” (STAS). However, the prognostic significance of this finding is not known. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the presence of STAS correlates with an increased risk of recurrence after limited resection versus lobectomy.

      Methods
      All available tumor slides from patients with therapy-naive, surgically resected solitary lung ADC ≤2 cm in size (1995-2009) were reviewed (n=697; stage IA/IB, 600/97; limited resection/lobectomy, 226/471). Comprehensive histologic subtyping was performed according to the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. STAS was defined as isolated tumor islands (morphologically solid or micropapillary pattern) or single cells within alveolar spaces separate from the main tumor. The distance between the tumor surface and the STAS was measured by a ruler (mm) and by the number of alveolar spaces. Recurrence-free probability (RFP) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

      Results
      STAS was identified in 224 cases (32%). The morphologic types of STAS were as follows: 119 micropapillary, 91 solid, and 14 single cell. Presence of the micropapillary or solid pattern (>5%) in the main tumor and presence of lymphatic invasion were significantly associated with presence of STAS (p<0.001 for each). Presence of STAS correlated with an increased risk of recurrence (5-year RFP, 75.6%), compared with absence of STAS (5-year RFP, 83.5%; p=0.022). In the limited resection group, tumors with STAS were associated with an increased risk of recurrence, compared with those without STAS (5-year RFP, 58.3% vs 81.9%; p=0.004); this did not follow in the lobectomy group (5-year RFP, 84.1% vs 84.2%; p=0.658) (Figure). The distance between the tumor surface and the STAS did not correlate with risk of recurrence (p=0.992). Figure 1

      Conclusion
      Presence of STAS correlated with an increased risk of recurrence in patients treated with limited resection for ≤2 cm lung ADC. This finding may guide surgeons to choose lobectomy over limited resection for the treatment of these patients.