Association between PD‐L1 expression and lymph node metastasis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Issue 2 (8th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kamiya, Shiori; Kato, Junji; Kamiya, Takafumi; Yamashita, Toshiharu; Sumikawa, Yasuyuki; Hida, Tokimasa; Horimoto, Kohei; Sato, Sayuri; Takahashi, Hitomi; Sawada, Masahide; Kubo, Terufumi; Torigoe, Toshihiko; Uhara, Hisashi
• Is Part Of: Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology. Volume 16:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: e108
• Page End: e112
• Publication Date: 2018-11-08
• Subjects: cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma -- immunohistochemistry -- PD‐L1; Oncology -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.9940095
• DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-7555

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: To clarify the relationship between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and clinicopathological variables. Methods: We examined PD‐L1 expression in tumor cells (TCs) and tumor infiltrating immune cells (ICs) in 46 cases of cSCC by immunohistochemistry. In each case, we employed two methods—intensity and proportion scores—to evaluate PD‐L1 expression in TCs. For the evaluation of PD‐L1 expression in ICs, only the proportion score was used. Association between PD‐L1 expression and clinicopathological variables was analyzed using Fisher's exact test. Results: High intensity scores in TCs were observed in 18 of the 46 cases (39.1%) and low intensity scores were observed in 28 cases (60.9%). Applying the proportions, using cut‐off values of ≥1% and 50%, positive scores in TCs were observed in 36 (78.3%) and 20 cases (43.5%), respectively. PD‐L1‐positive ICs were observed in 29 (63%) and seven cases (15.2%), using cut‐off values of ≥1% and 10%, respectively. The high intensity scores in TCs correlated with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.008) and female gender ( P = 0.017), although positive proportions in TCs or ICs were not significantly related to lymph node metastasis. A multivariate analysis showed that high intensity of PD‐L1 expression in TCs was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: The results suggested that high intensity of PD‐L1 expression in TCs is associated with lymph node metastasis in cSCC.