
The study investigated the early changes in CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor transcriptomes after induction of cetuximab in patients with p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer. Tumor biopsies were taken before and one week after a single cetuximab loading dose in eight patients enrolled in a phase II trial. Results showed that cetuximab induced measurable changes in pro-cytotoxic T-cell signaling and immune content within one week. Five patients had an increase in CD8+ cell infiltration, while two patients showed rapid tumor transcriptome changes in cellular type 1 interferon signaling and keratinization pathways.
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