Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms

Ma, Jianli; Chi, Decai; Wang, Yan; Yan, Yubo; Zhao, Shu; Liu, Hang; Jing, Jing; Pu, Haihong; Zhang, Minghui

doi:10.7150/jca.26155

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J Cancer 2018; 9(19):3489-3499. doi:10.7150/jca.26155 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms

Jianli Ma^1*, Decai Chi^2*, Yan Wang^3*, Yubo Yan³, Shu Zhao³, Hang Liu³, Jing Jing³, Haihong Pu³, Minghui Zhang^3✉

1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
2. Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin150081, China
3. Department of Medical oncology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, 150000, China
*These authors contributed equally to this work

Citation:

Ma J, Chi D, Wang Y, Yan Y, Zhao S, Liu H, Jing J, Pu H, Zhang M. Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms. J Cancer 2018; 9(19):3489-3499. doi:10.7150/jca.26155. https://www.jcancer.org/v09p3489.htm

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Abstract

Background: The prognostic role of PD-L1 expression in surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) remains controversial. The present study was aimed to clarify the role of PD-L1 expression in predicting prognosis and to investigate its biological function in ADC.

Materials and Methods: The association between PD-L1 expression and clinical outcomes in patients with resected ADC was analyzed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in our cohort (n=104), externally validated by a meta-analysis of 13 published studies. The biological role of PD-L1 in ADC was explored using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).

Results: Positive PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was observed in 38.5% (40/104). High PD-L1 expression levels were significantly correlated with poor overall survival (P=0.008). Furthermore, the meta-analysis also showed that positive PD-L1 expression was associated with shorter OS than negative PD-L1 expression (HR= 1.75, 95% CI: 1.26-2.42; P<0.001). In subgroup analysis stratified according to ethnicity, the pooled results demonstrated that increased PD-L1 expression was an unfavorable prognostic factor for Asian populations (HR= 2.11, 95% CI: 1.48-3.02; P<0.001), but not for non-Asian populations (HR=1.16, 95% CI: 0.63-2.11, P=0.64). The pooled odds ratios (ORs) indicated that PD-L1 expression was associated with positive lymph node metastasis (OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.23-2.46; P=0.002) and male (OR=1.56, 95% CI: 1.02-2.37; P=0.04). GSEA revealed PD-L1 expression levels positively correlated with immune process or immune-related pathways.

Conclusion: PD-L1 expression is an important negative prognostic factor in resected ADC. This finding has important implications for immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in patients with resected ADC.

Keywords: programmed cell death-ligand 1, lung adenocarcinoma, prognosis, GSEA

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APA

Ma, J., Chi, D., Wang, Y., Yan, Y., Zhao, S., Liu, H., Jing, J., Pu, H., Zhang, M. (2018). Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms. Journal of Cancer, 9(19), 3489-3499. https://doi.org/10.7150/jca.26155.

ACS

Ma, J.; Chi, D.; Wang, Y.; Yan, Y.; Zhao, S.; Liu, H.; Jing, J.; Pu, H.; Zhang, M. Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms. J. Cancer 2018, 9 (19), 3489-3499. DOI: 10.7150/jca.26155.

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CSE

Ma J, Chi D, Wang Y, Yan Y, Zhao S, Liu H, Jing J, Pu H, Zhang M. 2018. Prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in resected lung adenocarcinoma and potential molecular mechanisms. J Cancer. 9(19):3489-3499.

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