Clinical determinants of survival and a predictive immune biomarker for immunotherapy in fibrolamellar carcinoma: A comprehensive institutional analysis.

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Authors: Sunyoung S. Lee, Shadi Chamseddine, Deepak Bhamidipati, Rikita I. Hatia, Lianchun Xiao, Jeffrey S. Ross, Michael Brian LaPelusa, Yehia Ibrahim Mohamed, Peiman Habibollahi, Armeen Mahvash, Ethan Bernard Ludmir, Eugene Jon Koay
+7 more Zishuo Ian Hu, Hop S. Tran Cao, Ching-Wei David Tzeng, Jean‐Nicolas Vauthey, Yun Shin Chun, Timothy Eric Newhook, Ahmed Omar Kaseb
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Abstract

552 Background: Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare liver malignancy primarily in adolescents / young adults with limited therapeutic options. We analyzed clinical outcomes and genomic data and investigated tumor microenvironment (TME) to identify immunotherapy response markers. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 165 patients (pts) treated between 1992 and 2024. mRNA-seq was performed in 8 patients treated with immunotherapy. 15 immune gene signatures, through unsupervised clustering, revealed 2 dominant phenotypes: T-cell/Myeloid-Infiltrated (TMI) or Immune-Desert (ID). PFS/OS was correlated with TME via Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank test. Results: Out of 165 pts (median age 23, 48% F), 75% presented with stage III-IV. Adverse prognosticators included advanced stage, macrovascular invasion, and nodal metastasis. Surgery (liver resection and/or metastasectomy) is associated with improved survival (mOS 65.2 vs 19.7 m, p 8.5). Conclusions: While surgical management including metastasectomy remains the cornerstone of FLC treatment, TME is a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy. The unique molecular landscape with high expression of angiogenesis factors and ADC targets suggests that rational combination therapies are needed to overcome resistance in Immune-Desert tumors. Immune gene signatures B-cells, CD45, CD8 T cells, Cytotoxic cells, DC (Dendritic Cells), Exhausted CD8, Macrophages, Mast cells, NK cells, Neutrophils, T-cells, TFH (T follicular helper cells), Th1 cells, Th2 cells, Treg (Regulatory T cells) Genomic alterations (n=68) TERT 17.7% (MD Anderson 11%), CDKN2A/B 11.8%, MYC 5.9%, LYN 4.4%, CTNNB1 4.4%, TP53 4.4% Immunotherapy Atezolizumab + bevacizumab (n=1); 5-fluorouracil + Interferon-a2 + nivolumab (n=7) ADC, antibody-drug conjugate.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Volume
44
Issue
2_suppl
Pages
552–552
Publication date
10 January 2026
Language
EN