Earlier-Phased Cancer Immunity Cycle Strongly Influences Cancer Immunity in Operable Never-Smoker Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors
Hong Kwan Kim ; Je-Gun Joung ; Yoon-La Choi ; Se-Hoon Lee ; Byung Jo Park ; Yong Soo Choi ; Daeun Ryu ; Jae-Yong Nam ; Mi-Sook Lee ; Woong-Yang Park ; Soohyun Hwang ; Hongui Cha ; Hong Sook Kim ; Sanghyuk Lee ; Yeonjoo Jung ; Jong Eun Lee ; Junsang Doh ; Soonmyung Paik ; Jung Hee Kang ; Jinseon Lee ; Jhingook Kim
Exome and transcriptome analyses of clinically homogeneous early-stage never-smoker female patients with lung adenocarcinoma were performed to understand tumor-T cell interactions and immune escape points. Using our novel gene panels of eight functional categories in the cancer-immunity cycle, three distinct subgroups were identified in this immune checkpoint blockade-refractory cohort by defective gene expression in two major domains, i.e., type I interferon production/signaling pathway and antigen-presenting machinery. Our approach could play a critical role in understanding immune evasion mechanisms, developing a method for effective selection of rare immune checkpoint blockade responders, and finding new treatment strategies.