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Changes in programmed death ligand 1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients who received anticancer treatments

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Abstract

Background

The expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is considered a predictive biomarker of anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 cancer therapies. However, changes in PD-L1 expression of tumor cells during clinical courses have not been fully evaluated. We evaluated changes in PD-L1 expression for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received anticancer treatments during clinical courses.

Methods

In 76 NSCLC patients, PD-L1 expression was evaluated before and after anticancer treatment by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis using an anti-PD-L1 antibody. We defined two cut-off points of PD-L1 expression (1 and 50%) and three corresponding IHC groups (A: 0%, B: 1–49%, and C: ≥50%). IHC group B and C were considered to be positive expression, and we defined the difference of IHC group between pre- and post-treatment as ‘major change’ in PD-L1 expression.

Results

Before anticancer treatment, PD-L1 expression was observed in 38/76 (50%) patients, and was significantly less common in patients harboring mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) than in those without (P = 0.039). After anticancer treatment, PD-L1 expression was observed in 36/76 (47%) patients. Major increases in PD-L1 expression were seen in 11 (14%), and major decreases in 18 (24%) patients. Among 13 patients harboring EGFR mutations treated with EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), five (38%) showed major increases.

Conclusion

Major changes of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells were observed in 38% of NSCLC patients who received anticancer treatments. And, treatments with EGFR-TKI may increase PD-L1 expression in NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the clinical pathology technicians who supported this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan

    Shota Omori, Hirotsugu Kenmotsu, Haruki Kobayashi, Kazuhisa Nakashima, Kazushige Wakuda, Akira Ono, Tetsuhiko Taira, Tateaki Naito, Haruyasu Murakami & Toshiaki Takahashi

  2. Division of Pathology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan

    Masato Abe, Takashi Sugino & Takashi Nakajima

  3. Division of Pathology, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan

    Reiko Watanabe

  4. Division of Thoracic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan

    Yasuhisa Ohde

  5. Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan

    Masahiro Endo

  6. Immunotherapy Division, Shizuoka Cancer Center Research Institute, Shizuoka, Japan

    Yasuto Akiyama

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  1. Shota Omori
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  2. Hirotsugu Kenmotsu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshiaki Takahashi.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Shota Omori received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehriner Ingelheim, Chugai-Pharm, Taiho-Pharm, MSD and Ono-Pharma; Dr. Hirotsugu Kenmotsu received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Chugai-Pharma, Bristol-Myers, Boehriner Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Taiho-Pharma, MSD and Ono-Pharma; Dr. Haruki Kobayashi received personal fees from Eli Lilly, and Taiho-Pharma; Dr. Kazuhisa Nakashima received personal fees from Eli Lilly, Taiho-Pharma, Mochida-Pharma and Ono-Pharma; Dr. Kazushige Wakuda received personal fees from Taiho-Pharma, Boehriner Ingelheim and Ono-Pharma; Dr. Akira Ono received personal fees from Chugai-Pharma, Takeda-Pharma and Taiho-Pharma; Dr. Tateaki Naito received personal fees from Ono-Pharma; Dr. Haruyasu Murakami received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Astellas, Bristol-Myers, Boehriner Ingelheim, Chugai-Pharma, Eli Lilly, Taiho-Pharma, MSD, Pfizer, Novartis and Ono-Pharma; Dr. Masahiro Endo received personal fees from Ono-Pharma; Dr. Toshiaki Takahashi received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehriner Ingelheim, Chugai-Pharma, Taiho-Pharma, MSD, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Ono-Pharma, outside the submitted work. The other authors declare no conflict of interests.

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Omori, S., Kenmotsu, H., Abe, M. et al. Changes in programmed death ligand 1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients who received anticancer treatments. Int J Clin Oncol 23, 1052–1059 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-018-1305-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-018-1305-4

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