Introduction

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Molecular testing has identified an increasing number of NSCLC associated genes, but their exact roles are not well understood. Examining tumor immune cell infiltration as a function of altered RNA expression and a patients’ residential address can help characterize both the tumor-immune interface and environmental effects that may contribute to genetic changes and treatment response in NSCLC. We hypothesize that tumor immune infiltration in NSCLC is related to altered RNA expression secondary to residential environmental factors.

Methods

RNA sequencing was performed by TEMPUS labs on patients with NSCLC at a single academic institution (UI Health) and residential zip codes were collected on all patients and used to explore the relationship between tumor immune infiltration and altered RNA expression.

Results

144 NSCLC FFPE tumor samples were studied. We found that a number of genes were highly associated with increased tumor immune cell infiltration (figure 1). Additionally, we found that tumor immune cell infiltration patterns differed depending on a patient’s geospatial region (zip code).

Conclusions

Our study suggests altered RNA expression likely impacts tumor immune infiltration in NSCLC or vice versa. Initial findings warrant further investigation into the specific genes and environmental factors contributing to altered immune landscapes within NSCLC tumors and their potential relationship to treatment efficacy. Future studies are needed to elucidate the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and immune response in NSCLC progression and treatment outcomes.

VIEW THE PUBLICATION