Abstract B51: Novel syngeneic animal model of tobacco-associated oral cancer reveals the activity of in situ anti-CTLA-4

• Published in: Cancer immunology research 2020-03, Vol.8 (3_Supplement), p.B51-B51
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhiyong, Wu, Victoria H., Allevato, Michael M., Gilardi, Mara, Saddawi-Konefka, Robert, He, Yudou, Callejas-Valera, Juan Luis, Vitale-Cross, Lynn, Martin, Daniel, Amornphimoltham, Panomwat, Mcdermott, James, Goto, Yusuke, Molinolo, Alfredo A., Sharabi, Andrew B., Cohen, Ezra E.W., Chen, Qianming, Lyons, Guy, Alexandrov, Ludmil B., Gutkind, J. Silvio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2326-6066; 2326-6074
• DOI: 10.1158/2326-6074.TUMIMM19-B51

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Tobacco use is the main risk factor for HNSCC, and tobacco-associated HNSCCs have poor prognosis and response to available treatments. Recently approved anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors showed limited activity (≤20%) in HNSCC, highlighting the need to identify new therapeutic options. For this, mouse models that accurately reflect the complexity of the HNSCC mutational landscape and tumor immune environment are urgently needed. Here, we report the first mouse HNSCC model system that recapitulates the human tobacco-related HNSCC mutanome, in which tumors grow when implanted in the tongue of immunocompetent mice. These HNSCC lesions have similar immune infiltration and response rates to anti-PD-1 (≤20%) immunotherapy as human HNSCCs. Remarkably, we found that >70% of HNSCC lesions respond to intratumoral anti-CTLA-4. This syngeneic HNSCC mouse model provides a platform for the development of novel immunotherapeutic options for HNSCC. Note:This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Zhiyong Wang, Victoria H. Wu, Michael M. Allevato, Mara Gilardi, Robert Saddawi-Konefka, Yudou He, Juan Luis Callejas-Valera, Lynn Vitale-Cross, Daniel Martin, Panomwat Amornphimoltham, James Mcdermott, Yusuke Goto, Alfredo A. Molinolo, Andrew B. Sharabi, Ezra E.W. Cohen, Qianming Chen, Guy Lyons, Ludmil B. Alexandrov, J. Silvio Gutkind. Novel syngeneic animal model of tobacco-associated oral cancer reveals the activity of in situ anti-CTLA-4 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B51.