Immune-related pathologic response (irPR) features and immunotherapeutic response score (ITRS) predict survival following neoadjuvant/conversion combined immunotherapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Routine pathology slides after cancer immunotherapy now reveal patterns that predict who'll do best long-term, guiding smarter decisions about follow-up treatment.
This study develops an Immunotherapeutic Response Score (ITRS) from 12 immune-related pathologic response features assessed on routine H&E slides in 147 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients who received neoadjuvant/conversion combined immunotherapy, with ITRS-low patients showing significantly better OS (HR 3.03, p<0.01) and RFS. ITRS remained an independent OS predictor in multivariate analysis adjusting for LVI, PNI, and major pathologic response, providing a feasible routine pathology tool to guide adjuvant decisions after resection in this high-unmet-need cancer.
What the study was
- Study design
- retrospective_cohort
- Population
- Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) patients after neoadjuvant/conversion combined immunotherapy (ICI-based)
- Sample size
- 147
- Category
- Treatment Innovation
- Maturity
- Exploratory
- Journal
- Virchows Arch
Why it surfaced
Novel pathologic response scoring system for immunotherapy in iCCA (very high unmet need, limited options); ITRS uses routine H&E slides — no special assay; 147-patient cohort with multivariate validation; directly relevant to novel therapeutics watchlist; published in Virchows Archiv.
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