Features associated with enhanced proliferation define lung tumors that respond to dual immune checkpoint and radiation therapy

In a randomized phase II trial, patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer were were treated with either two preoperative cycles of the anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab alone or combined with immunomodulatory doses of stereotactic radiation. We conducted an analysis of the gene expression profiles of treatment-naive tumors from these patients and identified a 140-gene signature that was correlated with a positive response to the dual therapy. This signature showed enrichment in genes associated with cell proliferation. Overall design: RNA-seq studies of resected tumors to identify biomarkers of response in a clinical trial of immune checkpoint blockade therapy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.