Impact of Helicobacter pylori infection status on outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced gastric cancer

Gut microbiota composition can influence cancer immunotherapy response. Recent evidence suggests Helicobacter pylori
infection may reduce immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy in lung cancer and melanoma. A retrospective study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) investigated impact of H. pylori infection on efficacy of ICIs for advanced gastric cancer (aGC). Among 215 patients, 49 had documented history of H. pylori infection. H. pylori-positive patients had significantly shorter median progression-free and overall survival. Multivariable analysis confirmed H. pylori infection as an independent predictor of PFS (HR 3.04; p<0.01) and OS (HR 2.24; p=0.01). The authors conclude that in this largest study of its kind, H. pylori infection was associated with inferior survival outcomes in ICI-treated aGC patients