Molecular Characterization of Biliary Tract Cancer Predicts ... : Hepatology (original) (raw)

Original Articles: Hepatobiliary Malignancies

Molecular Characterization of Biliary Tract Cancer Predicts Chemotherapy and Programmed Death 1/Programmed Death‐Ligand 1 Blockade Responses

Yoon, Jihoon G.1,#; Kim, Min Hwan2,3,#; Jang, Mi4,5,#; Kim, Hoguen4; Hwang, Ho Kyoung3,6; Kang, Chang Moo3,6; Lee, Woo Jung3,6; Kang, Beodeul2,3; Lee, Choong‐kun2,3; Lee, Min Goo1; Chung, Hyun Cheol2; Choi, Hye Jin*,2,3,##; Park, Young Nyun*,4,##

1Department of PharmacologyYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea

2Division of Medical OncologyDepartment of Internal MedicineYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea

3Pancreaticobiliary Cancer ClinicYonsei Cancer CenterSeverance HospitalSeoulRepublic of Korea

4Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 ProjectYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea

5Department of PathologyNational Health Insurance Service Ilsan HospitalGoyangRepublic of Korea

6Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryDepartment of SurgeryYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea

* ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPRINT REQUESTS TO:
Hye Jin Choi, Ph.D.
Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine
50‐1 Yonsei‐ro
Seodaemun‐gu
Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
E‐mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +82‐2‐2228‐8130
or
Young Nyun Park, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine
50‐1 Yonsei‐ro
Seodaemun‐gu
Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
E‐mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +82‐2‐2228‐1768

#These authors contributed equally.

##These authors jointly directed this work.

Abstract

Background and Aims

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) exhibits diverse molecular characteristics. However, reliable biomarkers that predict therapeutic responses are yet to be discovered. We aimed to identify the molecular features of treatment responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in BTCs.

Approach and Results

We enrolled 121 advanced BTC patients (68 cholangiocarcinomas [33 intrahepatic, 35 extrahepatic], 41 gallbladder cancers, and 12 Ampulla of Vater cancers) whose specimens were analyzed by clinical sequencing platforms. All patients received first‐line palliative chemotherapy; 48 patients underwent programmed death 1 (PD‐1)/programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) blockade therapy after failed chemotherapy. Molecular and histopathological characterization was performed using targeted sequencing and immunohistochemical staining to investigate treatment response‐associated biomarkers. Genomic analysis revealed a broad spectrum of mutational profiles according to anatomical location. Favorable responses to chemotherapy were observed in the small‐duct type compared with the large‐duct type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, with frequent mutations in BRCA1‐associated protein‐1/isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 and KRAS proto‐oncogene, GTPase/SMAD family member 4 genes, respectively. The molecular features were further analyzed in BTCs, and transforming growth factor beta and DNA damage response pathway‐altered tumors exhibited poor and favorable chemotherapy responses, respectively. In PD‐1/PD‐L1 blockade‐treated patients, KRAS alteration and chromosomal instability tumors were associated with resistance to immunotherapy. The majority of patients (95.0%) with these resistance factors show no clinical benefit to PD‐1/PD‐L1 blockade and low tumor mutational burdens. Low tumor‐infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density in tumors with these resistance factors indicated immune‐suppressive tumor microenvironments, whereas high intratumoral TIL density was associated with a favorable immunotherapy response.

Conclusions

This study proposes predictive molecular features of chemotherapy and immunotherapy responses in advanced BTCs using clinical sequencing platforms. Our result provides an intuitive framework to guide the treatment of advanced BTCs benefiting from therapeutic agents based on the tumors’ molecular features.