Abstract 4134: Stromal FAP expression is associated with MRI visibility and patient survival in prostate cancer

Abstract Some clinically significant prostate cancers (PCa) are missed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We asked if the tumor stroma in surgically treated primary PCa lesions positive or negative with MRI are different in their cellular and molecular properties, and whether the differences are reflected to the clinical course of the disease. We profiled the stromal and immune cell composition of MRI-classified tumor lesions by applying multiplexed fluorescence immunohistochemistry (mfIHC) and automated image analysis in a clinical cohort of 343 patients (Cohort I). We compared stromal variables between MRI-visible, invisible lesions, and benign tissue and assessed the predictive significance for biochemical recurrence (BCR) and disease-specific survival (DSS) using Cox regression and Log rank analysis. Subsequently, we carried out a prognostic validation of the identified biomarkers in a population-based cohort of 319 patients (Cohort II). MRI true-positive lesions are different from benign tissue and MRI false-negative lesions in their stromal composition. CD163-positive cells and fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-positive cells were more abundant in MRI true-positive than in MRI false-negative lesions or benign areas. In MRI true-visible lesions, a high proportion of stromal FAP-positive cells was associated with PTEN status and increased immune infiltration (CD8+, CD163+), and predicted elevated risk for BCR. High FAP phenotype was confirmed to be a strong indicator of poor prognosis in two independent patient cohorts using also conventional IHC. The molecular composition of the tumor stroma may determine whether early prostate lesions are detectable by MRI and associates with survival after surgical treatment. Citation Format: Teijo Pellinen, Kevin Smith, Sami Blom, Riku Turkki, Annabrita Hemmes, Katja Välimäki, Juho Eineluoto, Anu Kenttämies, Stig Nordling, Olli Kallioniemi, Antti Rannikko, Tuomas Mirtti. Stromal FAP expression is associated with MRI visibility and patient survival in prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 4134.