# Early investigation of the role of desmoplastic fibrosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

> **NIH NIH R03** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $89,500

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The only FDA-approved treatment for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) (cemiplimab, an
immunotherapy drug that helps the immune system kill cancer cells) is only effective in 50% of patients. There
are no known predictors of immunotherapy failure in CSCC. Addressing this gap in knowledge regarding why
immunotherapy often fails is central to our ability to further decrease morbidity and mortality from
CSCC and other cancers in which immunotherapy plays a major role. Desmoplasia (deposition of abnormal
collagen in the area around a tumor) is an independent prognostic factor in CSCC associated with
death. However, systems for quantifying desmoplasia have not been developed and how it causes poor
outcomes in CSCC has not been studied. Our laboratory seeks to determine why desmoplasia is linked to
poor outcomes. We have developed the first system for quantifying desmoplasia. Our early data indicate
prominent desmoplasia is associated with a markedly lower 5-year cure rate (60%) as compared to when there
is no desmoplasia (90%). Our data also indicate that when immune cells do not infiltrate tumors, cure rate is
worse (40% vs. 75% when immune T cells are present). Finally, we have noted in cases of prominent
desmoplasia a pattern whereby immune cells are sequestered away from the tumor by the desmoplastic
region. If this is true, desmoplasia may be a major mechanism accounting for failure of immunotherapy since
this therapy cannot work without T cell contact with tumor cells. We propose to verify that desmoplasia is
associated with metastasis and death as well as decreased T cell contact with tumor, and to identify genes that
may be involved in the desmoplastic/fibrotic pathway and T cell exclusion. If the proposed studies show that
desmoplasia is linked to T cell exclusion from tumor, further studies aimed at combatting desmoplasia may be
enable greater efficacy of immunotherapy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10202093
- **Project number:** 1R03CA252817-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Chrysalyne Delling Schmults
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $89,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-04 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10202093

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10202093, Early investigation of the role of desmoplastic fibrosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (1R03CA252817-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10202093. Licensed CC0.

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