Abstract

While the importance of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), mutation burden caused by microsatellite instability (MSI), and CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has become evident, the significance of PD-L1 expression on prognosis still remains controversial. We evaluated the usefulness of combined markers of PD-L1 and MSI or CD8+ TILs as a prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer. A total of 283 patients with gastric cancer were reviewed retrospectively. PD-L1 expression on >5% tumor cells was defined as PD-L1-positive. PD-L1-positive rate was 15.5% (44/283). PD-L1 positivity was significantly correlated with invasive and advanced cancer and also significantly correlated with MSI, whereas no significance was observed with CD8+ TILs. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that PD-L1 positivity significantly correlated with a poor prognosis (p = 0.0025). Multivariate analysis revealed that PD-L1 positivity was an independent poor prognostic factor (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.97, p = 0.0106) along with diffuse histological type and lymph node metastases. Combinations of PD-L1 and MSI (HR: 2.18) or CD8+ TILs (HR: 2.57) were stronger predictive factors for prognosis than PD-L1 alone. In conclusion, combined markers of PD-L1 and MSI or CD8+ TILs may be more useful prognostic biomarkers in gastric cancer, and better clarify the immune status of gastric cancer patients.

Details

Title
PD-L1 expression combined with microsatellite instability/CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes as a useful prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer
Author
Morihiro Toshiaki 1 ; Kuroda Shinji 2 ; Kanaya Nobuhiko 1 ; Kakiuchi Yoshihiko 1 ; Kubota Tetsushi 1 ; Aoyama Katsuyuki 1 ; Tanaka Takehiro 3 ; Kikuchi Satoru 4 ; Nagasaka Takeshi 5 ; Nishizaki Masahiko 1 ; Kagawa Shunsuke 4 ; Tazawa Hiroshi 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Fujiwara Toshiyoshi 1 

 Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.261356.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 1302 4472) 
 Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.261356.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 1302 4472); Okayama University Hospital, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.412342.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 0631 9477) 
 Okayama University, Department of Pathology, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.261356.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 1302 4472) 
 Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.261356.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 1302 4472); Okayama University Hospital, Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Okayama, Japan (GRID:grid.412342.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 0631 9477) 
 Kawasaki Medical School, Department of Clinical Oncology, Kurashiki, Japan (GRID:grid.415086.e) (ISNI:0000 0001 1014 2000) 
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Dec 2019
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2191832496
Copyright
This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.