Evaluation of PD-L1 Expression and Associated Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Τίτλος | Evaluation of PD-L1 Expression and Associated Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2016 |
Authors | Vassilakopoulou, M., Avgeris M., Velcheti V., Kotoula V., Rampias T., Chatzopoulos K., Perisanidis C., Kontos C. K., Giotakis A. I., Scorilas A., Rimm D., Sasaki C., Fountzilas G., & Psyrri A. |
Journal | Clin Cancer Res |
Volume | 22 |
Issue | 3 |
Pagination | 704-13 |
Date Published | 2016 Feb 1 |
ISSN | 1078-0432 |
Abstract | PURPOSE: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1; also known as CD274 or B7-H1) expression represents a mechanism of immune escape for cancer. Our purpose was to characterize tumor PD-L1 expression and associated T-cell infiltration in primary laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCC).EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A well-annotated cohort of 260 operable primary laryngeal SCCs [formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens] was morphologically characterized for stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), on hematoxylin/eosin-stained whole sections and for PD-L1 mRNA expression by qRT-PCR in FFPE specimens. For PD-L1 protein expression, automated quantitative protein analysis (AQUA) was applied on tissue microarrays consisting of two cores from these tumors. In addition, PD-L1 mRNA expression in fresh-frozen tumors and normal adjacent tissue specimens was assessed in a second independent cohort of 89 patients with primary laryngeal SCC.RESULTS: PD-L1 mRNA levels were upregulated in tumors compared with surrounding normal tissue (P = 0.009). TILs density correlated with tumor PD-L1 AQUA levels (P = 0.021). Both high TILs density and high PD-L1 AQUA levels were significantly associated with superior disease-free survival (DFS; TILs: P = 0.009 and PD-L1: P = 0.044) and overall survival (OS; TILs: P = 0.015 and PD-L1: P = 0.059) of the patients and retained significance in multivariate analysis.CONCLUSIONS: Increased TILs density and PD-L1 levels are associated with better outcome in laryngeal squamous cell cancer. Assessment of TILs and PD-L1 expression could be useful to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(3); 704-13. ©2015 AACR. |
DOI | 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-1543 |
Alternate Journal | Clin. Cancer Res. |
PubMed ID | 26408403 |