Tumor immune microenvironment alterations using induction cetuximab in a phase II trial of deintensified therapy for p16‐positive oropharynx cancer

BACKGROUND: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor transcriptomes after induction cetuximab in a cohort with p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer on a phase II clinical de-escalation trial. METHODS: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and transcriptomes were assessed. RESULTS: cells (median [range] fold change of -0.85 [0.8-1.1]). In two patients with evaluable RNA, cetuximab induced rapid tumor transcriptome changes in cellular type 1 interferon signaling and keratinization pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Within 1 week, cetuximab induced measurable changes in pro-cytotoxic T-cell signaling and immune content.