TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of Programmed Death 1 Protein Ligand (PD-L1) Expression With Prognosis in Merkel Cell Carcinoma
AU - Hanna, Glenn J.
AU - Kacew, Alec J.
AU - Tanguturi, Anusha R.
AU - Grote, Hans J.
AU - Vergara, Victoria
AU - Brunkhorst, Beatrice
AU - Rabinowits, Guilherme
AU - Thakuria, Manisha
AU - LeBoeuf, Nicole R.
AU - Ihling, Christian
AU - DeCaprio, James A.
AU - Lorch, Jochen H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2020 Hanna, Kacew, Tanguturi, Grote, Vergara, Brunkhorst, Rabinowits, Thakuria, LeBoeuf, Ihling, DeCaprio and Lorch.
PY - 2020/6/5
Y1 - 2020/6/5
N2 - Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer. Prior to the advent of immunotherapy, treatment options were limited. In our study, we evaluate the impact of tumor cell PD-L1 expression and tumor immune microenvironment on survival in MCC patients who were not treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods: Clinical data and tissue samples were collected from 78 patients with confirmed MCC treated at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Specimens were analyzed for the distribution of PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry staining (IHC) and standardized analysis. Results were correlated with survival data. Results: In this study, membrane and cytoplasmic MCC tumor cell staining for PD-L1 was detected in 22.4% (15 of 67) of cases and PD-L1 staining of intratumoral microvessels and PD-L1 positive immune cells at the infiltrative margins of the tumor in 92.5% (62 of 67) of cases. In patients untreated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, median overall survival was not different for patients based on PD-L1 expression (PD-L1+ 64 months vs. PD-L1- not reached; HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.46–3.45; p = 0.60). Conclusion: PD-L1 expression is frequently detected in MCC tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 expression did not affect prognosis in this cohort that had not received PD-1/L1 blockade.
AB - Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer. Prior to the advent of immunotherapy, treatment options were limited. In our study, we evaluate the impact of tumor cell PD-L1 expression and tumor immune microenvironment on survival in MCC patients who were not treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods: Clinical data and tissue samples were collected from 78 patients with confirmed MCC treated at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Specimens were analyzed for the distribution of PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry staining (IHC) and standardized analysis. Results were correlated with survival data. Results: In this study, membrane and cytoplasmic MCC tumor cell staining for PD-L1 was detected in 22.4% (15 of 67) of cases and PD-L1 staining of intratumoral microvessels and PD-L1 positive immune cells at the infiltrative margins of the tumor in 92.5% (62 of 67) of cases. In patients untreated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, median overall survival was not different for patients based on PD-L1 expression (PD-L1+ 64 months vs. PD-L1- not reached; HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.46–3.45; p = 0.60). Conclusion: PD-L1 expression is frequently detected in MCC tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 expression did not affect prognosis in this cohort that had not received PD-1/L1 blockade.
KW - MCPyV
KW - PD-L1
KW - cancer
KW - merkel cell carcinoma
KW - merkel cell polyomavirus
KW - neuroendocrine carcinoma
KW - prognostic biomarkers
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85086782670&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fmed.2020.00198
DO - 10.3389/fmed.2020.00198
M3 - Article
C2 - 32582722
AN - SCOPUS:85086782670
SN - 2296-858X
VL - 7
JO - Frontiers in Medicine
JF - Frontiers in Medicine
M1 - 198
ER -
