Neoadjuvant talimogene laherparepvec plus surgery vs surgery alone for resectable stage IIIB-IVM1a melanoma

This study was intended to describe transcriptional changes after TVEC treatment among immune related genes. Tumor gene expression analysis (nanostring, pan cancer immmune profiling panel) was performed to evaluate tumor inflammation status at baseline (in TVEC and control arms) and after treatment with TVEC. Objectives aimed to improve understanding of TVEC therapeutic mechanism of action, included assessment of baseline tumor inflammation status and assessment of change in tumor inflammation status. This data set consists of immune-related gene expression profiles of 135 melanoma biopsies, derived from 79 patients with resectable stage IIIB-IVM1a melanoma who were randomized to receive T-VEC followed by surgery (Arm 1) or surgery alone (Arm 2). Two timepoints in Arm 1 (baseline and after T-VEC treatment) and one timepoint in Arm 2 (baseline) were assayed. RNA was extracted from melanoma tumor biopsies and resected tumor tissue for gene expression analysis. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) curls were deparaffinized using 100% xylene. Deparaffinized samples were washed with 100% ethanol and then dried at 37°C. RNA was extracted from tissues using the QIAgen RNeasy FFPE kit (QIAgen, catalog #73504) on the QIAcube robotic workstation. Nucleic acid concentrations were determined using the NanoDrop 1000 Spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Relative gene expression was evaluated on the NanoString nCounter platform and the starting material was 300 ng of total RNA using the PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel.