Abstract B64: Characterizing the tumor immune microenvironment of metastatic and nonmetastatic renal clear cell carcinomas and colorectal carcinomas using computational methods

Abstract

Abstract Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide with most cancer-related deaths attributed to metastatic disease progression. Engaging the immune system to fight cancer has several advantageous features, particularly given the unique role the immune system plays in initiating, maintaining, and fighting tumor metastasis. Here, we examine the tumor immune microenvironment in metastatic (primary stage IV -M1) and non-metastatic (primary stage I/II- M0) tumors in renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) and colorectal carcinoma (CRC) through the application of deconvolution algorithms and pathway analyses. Preliminary data suggests the tumor microenvironment varies based on cancer type as well as metastatic disease status, and these differences in immune infiltration significantly affect survival outcomes. The prevailing belief of the association of CD8+ T cells with a positive survival outcome did not hold true for renal clear cell carcinoma in our analysis. We further characterized the heterogeneity of the microenvironments in CRC and RCCC. Specific immune cell types consistently and differentially infiltrate tumors (NK and CD4+ T cells in particular), albeit their cellular status and influences on survival vastly differ based on the tumor type, suggesting each tumor type uniquely evades the immune system to promote metastasis. Citation Format: Yasmin Kamal, Frederick S. Varn, Jr., Chao Chen, Hildreth Robert Frost, Christopher I. Amos. Characterizing the tumor immune microenvironment of metastatic and nonmetastatic renal clear cell carcinomas and colorectal carcinomas using computational methods [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B64.