Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the clinical management of various oncological indications. Along similar lines, ICIs appear to be particularly active in patients bearing tumors with genetic, functional and/or immunological features that a priori are supportive of anticancer immunity. Similar findings have been obtained for the expression levels of PD-L1, an immunosuppressive ligand expressed by malignant and myeloid cells in response to ongoing anticancer immunity. At odds to non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), epithelial ovarian carcinoma is poorly sensitive to ICIs employed as standalone immunotherapeutic agents, most likely due to a relatively low tumor mutational burden (TMB) and indolent anticancer immunity. Thus, studying the interaction between malignant cells and immune components within tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential to identify possible factors of tumor progression and clinical outcome. The aim of our study is to characterize the spatial cellular distribution of immune cell populations using multiplex immunofluorescence panels and their association with clinicopathologic variables and outcomes. Further distance analysis of immune components in the TME will be performed to identify potential predictive patterns for further response to standard of care therapy and/or immunotherapy in oncology.
- zadáno a potvrzeno stud. odd.