Abstract 1388: Spatial transcriptome analysis of EMT trait and corresponding immune composition study in HNSCC

Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent malignant cancer worldwide. Conventional treatments for this type of cancer involve surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, in cases where the tumor recurs or metastasizes distantly, rendering surgical resection or radiation therapy impractical, the only viable option is the utilization of targeted drugs in conjunction with chemotherapy. Despite such interventions, the prognosis remains grim. Hence, the identification of genetic characteristics or biomarkers associated with easy metastasis or recurrence in the early stages of the tumor has become imperative for effective head and neck cancer treatment. The objective of this study is to analyze tumor specimens from the primary site and lymph node metastasis post-surgical resection in HNSCC patients. We employed the GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) for imaging-based digitized gene expression analysis. The DSP provides gene expression information at specific locations we selected, such as the primary tumor center core, primary tumor invasion borders, and lymph node metastasis specimens. The GeoMx DSP spatial analysis tool illustrates the cancer transcriptome atlas (CTA), encompassing the expression of 1825 genes related to cancer and immunity from the primary site to the metastatic site. We identified tissue-specific EMT gene expression patterns in paired tumor regions of interest (ROIs). ITGB1 emerged as the most significant co-expression marker in the primary outer tumor and metastatic tumor. Distinct EMT signature genes expressed in the HNSCC primary site and lymph node metastatic site were also discovered. Additionally, we conducted CTA profiling in correlated stroma ROIs. Through myeloid activity analysis in HNSCC paired samples, we identified distinct myeloid activation signatures in primary and metastatic site stroma cells. These results will provide crucial insights into head and neck cancer treatment strategies based on different tumor site characteristics. Citation Format: Chih-Hung Chung, Muh-Hwa Yang. Spatial transcriptome analysis of EMT trait and corresponding immune composition study in HNSCC abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts) ; 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84 (6Suppl): Abstract nr 1388.