Immunologically hot phenotype is associated with response to second-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Ongoing immunomodulatory strategies in tumors characterized by an overall hot immune phenotype may improve prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our objective was to develop a reliable and stable scoring system for the identification of immunologically hot NSCLC 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 82 patients with NSCLC treated with second-line immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1. High HOT score was associated with a statistically significant improved clinical outcome. In 82 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with second-line immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1, gene expression profiles were generated using formalin-fixed paraffin embedded biopsies or archival surgically resected specimens collected prior to treatment initiation. Gene expression profiles were generated using HTG EdgeSeq technology and the Oncology Biomarker Panel (OBP).