Programmed cell death ligand‐1 and cytotoxic T cell infiltrates in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Issue 11 (1st August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kraft, Stefan; Gadkaree, Shekhar K.; Deschler, Daniel G.; Lin, Derrick T.; Hoang, Mai P.; Emerick, Kevin S.
• Is Part Of: Head & neck. Volume 42:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 3226
• Page End: 3234
• Publication Date: 2020-08-01
• Subjects: immunotherapy -- lymph node metastasis -- metastatic squamous cell carcinoma -- PD‐1 -- skin cancer; Head -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neck -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Head -- Periodicals; Neck -- Periodicals; Face -- Periodicals; 617.51059
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.26370
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1043-3074

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) carries a poor prognosis. Increased numbers of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells are associated with a favorable prognosis and programmed cell death receptor‐1 is a suppressor of the CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response. We aim to define their expression in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Cytotoxic T cell infiltrates and tumoral PD‐L1 expression in lymph node metastases from patients with cSCC of the head and neck were analyzed. Results: High tumoral PD‐L1 expression, intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ cell density in metastases were significantly associated with poor primary tumor differentiation. Low PD‐L1 expression, intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ density were associated with lower grade primary tumor differentiation. Low PD‐L1 expression correlated with disease progression. Conclusions: Increased expression of PD‐L1 correlates with increased CD8+ cell density. Increased expression of PD‐L1 in poorly differentiated tumors may be more likely to benefit from anti PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy.