Upregulation of IL-12 Signaling Genes Mediated by STAT4 Predicts a Complete Clinical Response in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus who Undergo Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

Objective: This study compared immune transcriptome profiles between SCC patients achieving cCR and those with incomplete responses to CRT using the NanoString Ncounter® Pancancer Immune Profiling Panel. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort of 36 SCC patients treated with CRT was analyzed. Clinical data and blood samples were collected, and immune transcriptome profiling was conducted. Differential gene expression analysis identified distinctions between cCR and non-clinical complete response (non-cCR) groups. Results: Of the 36 patients, 20 achieved cCR, while 16 had non-cCR. Significant differences in immune transcriptomes were observed, particularly in IL-12 signaling mediated by STAT4. In the cCR group, 72 genes were upregulated, and 13 were downregulated, suggesting their role as predictive biomarkers for treatment response. Conclusions: This study identified distinct immune transcriptome profiles in SCC patients with cCR versus noncCR, highlighting genes related to IL-12 signaling as potential biomarkers. These findings emphasize the role of immune-related gene expression in determining patient outcomes and may support personalized therapeutic strategies to enhance CRT efficacy in SCC patients.