TY - JOUR T1 - Lymphocyte Infiltration Determines the Hypoxia-Dependent Response to Definitive Chemoradiation in Head-and-Neck Cancer: Results from a Prospective Imaging Trial JF - Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO - J Nucl Med SP - 471 LP - 478 DO - 10.2967/jnumed.120.248633 VL - 62 IS - 4 AU - Nils H. Nicolay AU - Alexander Rühle AU - Nicole Wiedenmann AU - Gabriele Niedermann AU - Michael Mix AU - Wolfgang A. Weber AU - Dimos Baltas AU - Martin Werner AU - Gian Kayser AU - Anca-L. Grosu Y1 - 2021/04/01 UR - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/62/4/471.abstract N2 - Tumor hypoxia in head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) leads to an immunosuppressive microenvironment and reduces the response to radiotherapy. In this prospective imaging trial, we investigated potential interactions between functional hypoxia imaging and infiltrating lymphocyte levels as a potential predictor for treatment response in HNSCC patients. Methods: In total, 49 patients receiving definitive chemoradiation for locally advanced HNSCCs underwent pretherapeutic biopsies and peritherapeutic hypoxia imaging using 18F-misonidazole PET at weeks 0, 2, and 5 during chemoradiation. Hematoxylin–eosin and immunohistochemical stainings for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tissue-based hypoxia, and microvascular markers were analyzed and correlated with the longitudinal hypoxia dynamics and patient outcomes. Results: High levels of tumor-infiltrating total lymphocytes correlated with superior locoregional control (LRC) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.279; P = 0.011) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 0.276; P = 0.006). Similarly, early resolution of 18F-misonidazole PET–detected tumor hypoxia quantified by 18F-misonidazole dynamics between weeks 0 and 2 of chemoradiation was associated with improved LRC (HR, 0.321; P = 0.015) and PFS (HR, 0.402; P = 0.043). Outcomes in the favorable early hypoxia resolution subgroup significantly depended on infiltrating lymphocyte counts, with patients who showed both an early hypoxia response and high lymphocyte infiltration levels exhibiting significantly improved LRC (HR, 0.259; P = 0.036) and PFS (HR, 0.242; P = 0.017) compared with patients with an early hypoxia response but low lymphocyte counts. These patients exhibited oncologic results comparable to those of patients with no hypoxia response within the first 2 wk of chemoradiation. Conclusion: This analysis established a clinical hypoxia-immune score that predicted treatment responses and outcomes in HNSCC patients undergoing chemoradiation and may help to devise novel concepts for biology-driven personalization of chemoradiation. ER -