Predicting the Efficacy of Esophageal Cancer Drug Therapy Using the Immune Aging Scoring System

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08785
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshimura Kiyoshi 昭和大学, 大学共同利用機関等の部局等, 教授 (30346564)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 加齢 / がん免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although the age limit and limitation of drug therapy for rapidly aging cancer patients are evaluated based on calendar age and performance status, we focused on immune senescence because we thought that an objective evaluation index was needed. We searched for immune aging in T cells and intestinal bacteria that affect immune status in each age group to see if immune aging can be objectively evaluated in terms of the balance between side effects and efficacy. The analysis will use a combination of machine learning and one-by-one cross-validation as a method to accurately evaluate a small number of cases and multiple factors. This research will contribute to society by creating a new index for the safe and effective chemotherapy treatment of unresectable esophageal cancer in an aging population.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫学、腫瘍内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

免疫老化は免疫学において以前から確認されている現象であるが、がん患者におけるデータはまだない。また、現時点で治療効果と関連が報告されている免疫チェックポイント分子の発現率や腸内細菌叢の多様性など、がん治療に関連する免疫学的因子が加齢の影響を受けるか否かについてもデータがない。そのため研究の独自性は高いと考える。また、加齢による生体の変化は確実に存在しており、高齢化に伴って高齢患者が増加している現代において、本研究が及ぼす影響は大きい。そのため、本研究が創造する新たな価値は高いと考える。