Assessing the prognostic value of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen-specific T-cell responses in colorectal cancer

Journal article

Current dogma suggests that tumor-reactive IFN-γ–producing (T_H1-type) T-cells are beneficial to patient outcome; however, the clinical consequence of these responses with respect to long-term prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not understood. Here, we compared the utility of preoperative, peripheral blood–derived IFN-γ⁺ T-cell responses specific to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), 5T4, or control antigens (n = 64) with tumor staging and clinical details (n = 87) in predicting five-year outcome of CRC patients who underwent resection with curative intent. Although disease recurrence was more likely in patients with stage III tumors, the presence of preoperative, CEA-specific IFN-γ–producing T-cells identified patients at a statistically significantly greater risk of tumor recurrence following surgical resection, irrespective of tumor stage (odds ratio = 5.00, 95% confidence interval = 1.96 to 12.77, two-sided P <.001). Responses to other antigens, including 5T4, did not reflect outcome. Whilst these results initially appear surprising, they could improve prognostication and help redirect adjuvant treatments.

Authors: Scurr, M; Brown, C; Bento, D; Betts, G; Rees, B

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
• Volume: 107
• Issue: 4
• Publication date: 2015-02-10
• Acceptance date: 2014-12-30
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djv001
• EISSN: 1460-2105
• ISSN: 0027-8874
• Language: English