2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - Posters-P4.15D.04 Association Between Emotional Distress and Immunotherapy Response in Advanced NSCLC (STRESS-LUNG-1): Biomarkers Exploratory Analyses

P4.15D.04 Association Between Emotional Distress and Immunotherapy Response in Advanced NSCLC (STRESS-LUNG-1): Biomarkers Exploratory Analyses

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The STRESS-LUNG-1 study explored the association between emotional distress (ED) and the response to immunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Conducted by researchers from the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, this prospective observational cohort study involved 227 NSCLC patients, with 48.9% exhibiting signs of emotional distress, assessed using PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. <br /><br />Key findings reveal that patients experiencing ED had poorer overall survival (OS) rates compared to those without ED. Specifically, one-year and two-year survival rates were lower for the ED group, with a higher risk of adverse OS events (hazard ratio 1.82). The study also examined potential biomarkers linked to the association between ED and diminished immunotherapy efficacy.<br /><br />In patients with ED, higher serum cortisol levels were noted, which correlated with poorer survival outcomes. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) showed reduced infiltration of M1 macrophages and CD8 T cells in ED patients, suggesting potential immune system compromises. Furthermore, the gut microbiota analysis revealed a reduced abundance of the genus Bacteroides, particularly Bacteroides stercoris, in patients with ED, which was associated with worse survival.<br /><br />These findings emphasize the potential impact of psychological factors on cancer treatment efficacy and highlight critical biological markers, including blood cortisol levels, gut microbiota composition, and TME characteristics, that may underlie this association. The study underscores the importance of integrating psycho-oncology approaches into cancer management to potentially enhance treatment outcomes for NSCLC patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Asset Subtitle

Fang Wu

Meta Tag

Speaker Fang Wu

Topic Multidisciplinary Care: Nursing, Allied Health & Palliative Care

Keywords

emotional distress

NSCLC

immunotherapy

survival rates

cortisol levels

tumor microenvironment

M1 macrophages

CD8 T cells

gut microbiota

psycho-oncology