Markus Hecht1, Maike Büttner-Herold2, Katharina Erlenbach-Wünsch3, Marlen Haderlein1, Roland Croner4, Robert Grützmann4, Arndt Hartmann3, Rainer Fietkau1, Luitpold V Distel5. 1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. 2. Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. 3. Department of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. 4. Department of Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. 5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Electronic address: luitpold.distel@uk-erlangen.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The influence of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) on programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, a predictive marker for programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor therapy, was studied on tumour and inflammatory cells in rectal adenocarcinoma patients along with its prognostic value. METHODS: PD-L1 immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarrays of 103 pre-RCT biopsies and 159 post-RCT surgical specimens (central tumour, invasive front and normal tissue) of 199 patients. In 63 patients, both samples were available. Proportion and maximum intensity of PD-L1-positive (PD-L1+) cells were evaluated. RESULTS: RCT increased the proportion of PD-L1-expressing cancer cells from 2.1% to 7.8% in the central tumour (p < 0.001) or 9.3% in the invasive front (p < 0.001). Cancer cell PD-L1 on its own could not predict prognosis. High PD-L1 expression on pre-RCT inflammatory cells (maximum intensity: p = 0.048) and post-RCT invasive front inflammatory cells (p = 0.010) correlated with improved no evidence of disease survival. In multivariate analysis, the combination of low PD-L1 in cancer and inflammatory cells was an independent negative prognostic marker for overall survival (OS) pre-RCT (Cox's proportional hazard ratio 0.438, p = 0.045) and in the invasive front post-RCT (Cox's proportional hazard ratio 0.257, p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant RCT is associated with an increased PD-L1 expression in rectal adenocarcinoma patients, which should prompt clinical trials combining radiotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 pathway blockade. Combined low PD-L1 expression on tumour and inflammatory cells is an independent negative prognostic marker for OS in RCT of rectal adenocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND: The influence of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) on programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, a predictive marker for programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor therapy, was studied on tumour and inflammatory cells in rectal adenocarcinomapatients along with its prognostic value. METHODS:PD-L1 immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarrays of 103 pre-RCT biopsies and 159 post-RCT surgical specimens (central tumour, invasive front and normal tissue) of 199 patients. In 63 patients, both samples were available. Proportion and maximum intensity of PD-L1-positive (PD-L1+) cells were evaluated. RESULTS: RCT increased the proportion of PD-L1-expressing cancer cells from 2.1% to 7.8% in the central tumour (p < 0.001) or 9.3% in the invasive front (p < 0.001). Cancer cell PD-L1 on its own could not predict prognosis. High PD-L1 expression on pre-RCT inflammatory cells (maximum intensity: p = 0.048) and post-RCT invasive front inflammatory cells (p = 0.010) correlated with improved no evidence of disease survival. In multivariate analysis, the combination of low PD-L1 in cancer and inflammatory cells was an independent negative prognostic marker for overall survival (OS) pre-RCT (Cox's proportional hazard ratio 0.438, p = 0.045) and in the invasive front post-RCT (Cox's proportional hazard ratio 0.257, p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant RCT is associated with an increased PD-L1 expression in rectal adenocarcinomapatients, which should prompt clinical trials combining radiotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 pathway blockade. Combined low PD-L1 expression on tumour and inflammatory cells is an independent negative prognostic marker for OS in RCT of rectal adenocarcinoma.
Authors: David A Mahvi; Rong Liu; Mark W Grinstaff; Yolonda L Colson; Chandrajit P Raut Journal: CA Cancer J Clin Date: 2018-10-17 Impact factor: 508.702
Authors: Annikka Weissferdt; Junya Fujimoto; Neda Kalhor; Jaime Rodriguez; Roland Bassett; Ignacio I Wistuba; Cesar A Moran Journal: Mod Pathol Date: 2017-03-10 Impact factor: 7.842