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. 2023 Feb 23;21(1):140.
doi: 10.1186/s12967-023-03971-5.

IL-6 as new prognostic factor in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab

Domenico Mallardo  1 , Ester Simeone  1 , Lucia Festino  1 , Marilena Tuffanelli  1 , Vito Vanella  1 , Claudia Trojaniello  1 , Maria Grazia Vitale  1 , Margaret Ottaviano  1 , Mariaelena Capone  1 , Gabriele Madonna  1 , Francesca Sparano  1 , Eleonora Cioli  1 , Luigi Scarpato  1 , Marco Palla  1 , Rossella Di Trolio  1 , Paolo Meinardi  1 , Corrado Caracò  1 , Gerardo Ferrara  1 , Paolo Muto  1 , Ernesta Cavalcanti  1 , Paolo Antonio Ascierto  2
Affiliations

IL-6 as new prognostic factor in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab

Domenico Mallardo et al. J Transl Med. .

Abstract

Background: Prognostic factors for initial response of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma to cemiplimab treatment are lacking. Il-6 has been found to affect immune cell populations which impact tumor development. The aim was to investigate the prognostic significance of IL-6 serum levels before and during treatment.

Methods: Serum levels of IL-6 were correlated with clinical outcomes in a retrospective study.

Results: Overall, 39 patients were enrolled. High serum levels of IL-6 (> 5.6 pg/ml) were associated with poorer survival (45.1% vs 0 deaths; OS: 16.1 ± 1.5 vs 20.8 ± 0 months, 95% CI 13,046 to 19,184) and shorter PFS (10.3 ± 1.9 vs 18.9 ± 1.5 months; 95% CI 3433 to 10,133) in patients with advanced CSCC treated with cemiplimab. In addition, patients whose IL-6 level increased after treatment with cemiplimab, independently of the basal level, had a poorer response to treatment than patients whose level was reduced or stable after immunotherapy.

Conclusions: Serum levels of IL-6 at baseline and changes after cemiplimab immunotherapy may have a prognostic significance in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Keywords: Cemiplimab; Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; IL-6; Prognostic factor.

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Conflict of interest statement

PAA has/had a consultant/advisory role for Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Merck Serono, Pierre-Fabre, AstraZeneca, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Idera, Sandoz, Immunocore, 4SC, Italfarmaco, Nektar, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eisai, Regeneron, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Oncosec, Nouscom, Lunaphore, Seagen, iTeos, Medicenna, Bio-Al Health. He also received research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Pfizer, Sanofi. AC received grant consultancies from BMS, Astrazeneca, Roche and MSD. He also received speaker's fee from Astrazeneca, Novartis and Eisai.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Overall survival after immunotherapy with cemiplimab according to the serum level of IL-6 at baseline
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Progression-free survival after immunotherapy with cemiplimab according to the serum level of IL-6 at baseline
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Overall survival (A) and PFS (B) after immunotherapy with cemiplimab according to the serum level of IL-6 at baseline, in patients naïve to immunotherapy
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Overall survival according to change of serum IL-6 level after immunotherapy with cemiplimab
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
PFS according to change of serum IL-6 level after immunotherapy with cemiplimab
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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