Session Item

The tumor microenvironment contains immune cells, like T-cells and macrophages, and stroma that can promote or hinder cancer progression. This immune response differs among tumors, and has been associated with radiotherapy outcome. The radiation treatment itself can induce an immune response towards cancer cells, and the potential of combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy is an attractive strategy. In preclinical studies, hypoxia has been associated with suppression of the anti-tumor immune response, but little attention has been paid to hypoxia in radiation-immune based combination strategies in the clinic. In this talk, I will present the prognostic value of combining pretherapy hypoxia and immune information in outcome prediction of 290 cervical cancer patients. Further, to better understand the relationship between immune responses, hypoxia and radiotherapy outcome, we have analysed tumor samples collected before and during treatment (after 10 Gy) of 100 cervical cancer patients, using RNA-sequencing and digital histopathology. Results from these studies will be discussed.