Neoantigen Quantity and Quality in Relation to Pancreatic Cancer Survival

Abstract

Introduction: Factors underlying antitumor immunity in pancreatic cancer (PC) are poorly understood. We hypothesized that not neoantigen quantity, but quality, is related to immune cell infiltration and survival. Methodology: We performed genomic and transcriptomic profiling of paired normal, tumor tissue of 13 patients with PC with distinct survival times. Additionally, neoantigens prediction and immunological profiling were performed. Results: The proportion of neoantigens with a low similarity-to-self score was higher in short-term survivors (p < 0.0001), while mutational load and burden, similarity-to-known-pathogens, and immunogenicity of neoantigens were not associated with immune cell infiltration or survival. Discussion: No tumor mutational load or neoantigen quantity, but low similarity-to-self score, was associated with immune cell infiltration and survival.