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Programmed death ligand‐1 expression is associated with poor disease free survival in salivary gland carcinomas
Author(s) -
Mukaigawa Takashi,
Hayashi Ryuichi,
Hashimoto Kazuki,
Ugumori Toru,
Hato Naohito,
Fujii Satoshi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.24266
Subject(s) - medicine , hazard ratio , immunohistochemistry , tissue microarray , pd l1 , oncology , carcinoma , confidence interval , disease , immune system , salivary gland , survival analysis , pathology , cancer , immunotherapy , immunology
Background and Objectives The immune checkpoint ligand programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) is expressed in various carcinomas and allows carcinoma cells to elude the immune system. PD‐L1 expression is associated with the response to anti‐programmed death 1 (PD‐1)/PD‐L1 drugs. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between PD‐L1 expression and clinicopathological factors of salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) and identify its clinical significance. Methods PD‐L1 expression was examined by immunohistochemical analysis using a tissue microarray comprised of 219 surgically resected SGC specimens. Detailed clinicopathological factors, including patient outcome, were available for all cases. Results A case showing complete membranous expression of PD‐L1 in more than 1% of whole carcinoma cells was considered positive by ROC analysis. A total of 50 (22.8%) patients showed PD‐L1 expression in SGC cells. Positive PD‐L1 expression was significantly associated with poor disease free survival ( P < 0.001) and overall survival ( P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that positive PD‐L1 expression was one of the independent predictors for poor disease free survival (hazard ratio = 2.287, 95% confidence interval = 1.24–4.15; P = 0.008). Conclusions Positive PD‐L1 expression was significantly associated with poor disease free survival of SGCs, suggesting that antibody therapies targeting PD‐1/PD‐L1 may have potential application in SGCs. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:36–43 . © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.