Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: The Role of Immune-related Factors

BACKGROUND/AIM Treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) consists of concomitant chemoradiation or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) plus radical surgery (RS). This study analyzed the prognostic role of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and PD-L1 expression in LACC patients, treated with NACT+RS. PATIENTS AND METHODS We prospectively analyzed 37 LACC patients treated from December 2016 to September 2019. Patients were submitted to pelvic examination, biopsy and imaging. RESULTS In 65% of cases, a nodal involvement was present at pre-treatment MRI. All cancers showed the presence of stromal TILs and PD-L1 staining of inflammatory cells. No significant correlations were found between clinicopathological parameters and the number of TILs and PDL-1 at baseline. After NACT, 29 patients (78%) were submitted to RS; 28% of patients showed pathological complete response, 62% partial response and 10% stable disease. Seven (24%) patients reported a positive node. Patients with high levels of stromal TILs and low NLR and PLR showed a significantly better response to NACT. No significant correlation was observed between PD-L1 expression and response to NACT. CONCLUSION The number of TILs, the expression of PDL1, and NLR and PLR ratios correlate significantly with the response of LACC patients to NACT.