Association between thymus density loss and efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Abstract

Although the thymus undergoes degeneration with the advancement of age, recent studies have continuously revealed that the thymus possesses the potential for regeneration and may reverse this aging trend. Furthermore, an increasing number of studies indicate an association between thymus function and immunotherapy. Considering that lung cancer patients typically undergo chest computed tomography (CT) scans during treatment, this provides convenient conditions for us to observe thymic remodeling through imaging data. Therefore, exploring the changes in the thymus on CT images is of great significance for understanding its relationship with the efficacy of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This study investigated the CT imaging characteristics of thymic density changes in patients with advanced NSCLC after immunotherapy. The primary objective was to determine whether changes in thymic density are predictors of response to immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC. A total of 412 patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent immunotherapy were included. Thymic density measurements were taken initially and after immunotherapy, with the annualized change calculated. Comprehensive analysis, including disease progression, survival, and subgroup assessments, was conducted. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). The annual change in density of the thymic region ranged from -108 to 108 HU after the initiation of ICIs. Patients were categorized into "loss" or "non-loss" groups (210 vs. 202) based on thymic density changes. Analysis of short-term progression of solid tumors revealed no statistically significant differences in ORR (P=0.55) and DCR (P=0.67) between the two groups. Throughout the entire follow-up period, 41 patients (19.5%) in the "loss" group and 64 patients (31.7%) in the "non-loss" group died. Thymic density reduction was not associated with PFS (P=0.08), but it was positively associated with increased OS (P=0.003). The results were consistent across subgroups. Thymic density changes were observed in nearly all NSCLC patients undergoing immunotherapy, with decreased density associated with longer OS. These findings suggest a potential association between thymic density changes and immune efficacy in NSCLC immunotherapy.