PD-L1 expression as poor prognostic factor in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

ObjectivesThe role of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially according to histologic type, remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess PD-L1 expression and its association with overall survival (OS) and clinicopathologic characteristics in NSCLC.Materials and methodsFormalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were obtained from 108 patients with surgically resected primary NSCLC. PD-L1 expression was assessed via immunohistochemistry using a histochemistry score system. The relationship between OS or clinicopathologic characteristics and PD-L1 expression was evaluated via the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.ResultsOf 108 NSCLC specimens, 44 had high PD-L1 expression, which was highly associated with histologic type (p = 0.003). Patients without PD-L1 expression had remarkably longer OS than those with PD-L1 expression (median OS: 96 months vs. 33 months, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of non-squamous cell carcinoma, OS was more favorable in those without PD-L1 expression than in those with PD-L1 expression (median OS: 113 months vs. 37 months, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that PD-L1 expression (95% confidence interval 1.459-4.520, p < 0.001), male sex and higher tumor-node-metastasis stage were significantly correlated with shorter OS.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that PD-L1 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in NSCLC patients, especially those with non-squamous NSCLC.

Identifying Rational Candidates for Immunotherapy Targeting PD-1/PD-L1 in Cervical Cancer

“…Tumoral PD-L1 expression has been detected in several solid malignancies with various percentages (24.2-46.1%) (20)(21)(22)(23)(24). The overall rate of PD-L1 expression in cervical cancer tumors in our cohort (44.4%) was similar to that observed in other malignancies.…”

Low PD-1 Expression in Cytotoxic CD8+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Confers an Immune-Privileged Tissue Microenvironment in NSCLC with a Prognostic and Predictive Value

“…The attempt to correlate PD-L1 expression and patient prognosis has shown conflicting results (14)(15)(16). Extensively debated issues on antibody specificity and different methodologies (17,18) have been partially overcome by several initiatives of harmonization (19)(20)(21).…”

Plasma soluble programmed death ligand 1 levels predict clinical response in peripheral T‐cell lymphomas

“…In addition, our study revealed that patients with elevated LDH level, advanced stage, and elevated β2‐MG level had higher sPD‐L1 levels, which also suggested that sPD‐L1 levels had a potential effect to predict PTCL progression. Studies have also confirmed that PD‐L1 expression in tumor tissue could affect the patient prognosis by tumor‐intrinsic signaling and adaptive immunosuppression . In order to reveal the association between sPD‐L1 level and tissue PD‐L1 expression in PTCLs, we detected the expression of tissue PD‐L1 in some matched patients by IHC.…”

“…Studies have also confirmed that PD-L1 expression in tumor tissue could affect the patient prognosis by tumor-intrinsic signaling and adaptive immunosuppression. [29][30][31] In order to reveal the association between sPD-L1 level and tissue PD-L1 expression in PTCLs, we detected the expression of tissue PD-L1 in some matched patients by IHC. Our results showed that it exhibited a high matched rate between sPD-L1 level and tissue PD-L1 expression for these patients.…”