Predictive and prognostic effect of ABO blood group on immune checkpoint inhibitors

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ergun, Yakup^{a; *} | Esen, Selin Akturk^b | Bardakci, Murat^b | Ucar, Gokhan^b | Kalkan, Ziya^c | Urakci, Zuhat^c | Seyran, Erdogan^d | Dogan, Mutlu^d | Eren, Tulay^e | Aslan, Volkan^f | Kahraman, Seda^b | Genc, Emine Eylem^g | Acikgoz, Yusuf^b | Dirikoc, Merve^b | Esen, Irfan^h | Uncu, Dogan^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Medical Oncology, Batman Training and Research Hospital, Batman, Turkey | [b] Department of Medical Oncology, University of Health Sciences Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey | [c] Department of Medical Oncology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey | [d] Department of Medical Oncology, UHS Dr Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey | [e] Department of Medical Oncology, UHS Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey | [f] Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey | [g] Department of Hematology, Batman Training and Research Hospital, Batman, Turkey | [h] Department of Internal Medicine, VM Medical Park (Kecioren) Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Yakup Ergun, Department of Medical Oncology, Batman Training and Research Hospital, 72070, Gultepe, Batman, Turkey. Tel.: +90 506 2059659; E-mail: yakup.ergun@saglik.gov.tr.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The relationship of the ABO blood group system with the immune response is known, but its relationship with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has not been clearly investigated until now. OBJECTIVE: In this study, the relationship between different blood groups and nivolumab treatment response in patients with advanced malignant melanoma was investigated. METHODS:The data of patients who used nivolumab for advanced malignant melanoma between April 2018 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients were included in the study. In the progression-free survival (PFS) analysis according to blood groups, it was 3.9 months, 16.1 months, 20.0 months and 3.0 months for A, B, AB and O, respectively (p= 0.1). Overall survival (OS) analysis according to blood groups was 5.1 months, 25.0 months, 20.0 months and 9.3 months for A, B, AB and O, respectively (p= 0.1). The B antigen group (B or AB) had significantly longer PFS and OS than the non-B antigen group (A or O) (16.1 vs. 3.5 months for PFS, respectively, p= 0.03; 20.0 vs. 7.4 months for OS, respectively, p= 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of B antigen provides a significant advantage in terms of survival in patients using ICIs for advanced melanoma.

Keywords: Immune checkpoint inhibitor, nivolumab, ABO blood group, predictive, biomarker

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-210455

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 329-336, 2022