Immunologically hot phenotype is associated with response to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Ongoing immunomodulatory strategies in tumors characterized by an overall hot immune phenotype may improve prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Our objective was to develop a reliable and stable scoring system for the identification of immunologically hot HNSCC and to evaluate its association with response to immunotherapies. A Hot Oral Tumor (HOT) score was developed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. HOT score was computed in 102 patients with HNSCC treated with immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 in the context of clinical trials. High HOT score was associated with a statistically significant improved clinical outcome. in 102 patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) treated with immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 in the context of clinical trials, gene expression profiles were generated using formalin-fixed paraffin embedded biopsies or surgically resected specimens collected prior to treatment initiation. Gene expression profiles were generated using HTG EdgeSeq technology and the Oncology Biomarker Panel (OBP).