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Using 22C3 Anti-PD-L1 Antibody Concentrate on Biopsy and Cytology Samples from Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
Published on: September 25, 2018
Determining PD-L1 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using immunohistochemistry
Prabha S Mishra1, Avnit Sidhu1, Gunjan Dwivedi2
1Department of Pathology, Command Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Background:
Advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has limited treatment options. Programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) expressed by tumor cells interacts with PD-1 receptor on T lymphocytes leading to immune evasive response and survival advantage. Therapy with immune check-point inhibitors target PD-1/PD-L1 blockade inducing tumor regression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PD-L1 expression enables patient selection for immunotherapy and may be considered a potential predictor of clinical response.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of IHC for PD-L1 expression using manual laboratory developed technique (LDT) with antibody clone 22C3 (Dako) in 93 cases of HNSCC. PD-L1 expression was correlated with age, gender, tumor site, grade and stage.
Results:
PD-L1 IHC was performed in 93 cases and immunopositivity was noted in 59 (63.4%) cases. High expression with combined proportion score (CPS) ≥50 was seen in 15 (16.1%) cases and low expression with CPS ≥1 expression was seen in 44 (47.3%) cases. An almost-perfect interobserver agreement was noted by two pathologists for PD-L1 IHC expression (Cohen's kappa coefficient = 0.910). No statistically significant correlation was noted between PD-L1 score and patient demographics, tumor site, grade or stage.
Conclusion:
Detection of PD-L1 status by IHC enables identification of HNSCC patients eligible for future targeted immunotherapy.
Insights
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) identifies patients for immunotherapy. PD-L1 expression was detected in 63.4% of cases, aiding in targeted treatment selection.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents limited therapeutic avenues.
- Tumor cell-expressed programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) interacts with T-cell PD-1, promoting immune evasion and tumor survival.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway offer a strategy for inducing tumor regression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for detecting PD-L1 expression in HNSCC.
- To assess PD-L1 expression as a potential biomarker for patient selection in immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 93 HNSCC cases utilizing manual laboratory-developed technique (LDT) IHC for PD-L1 expression with the 22C3 antibody clone.
- Correlation of PD-L1 expression with clinicopathological parameters including age, gender, tumor site, grade, and stage.
Main Results:
- PD-L1 immunopositivity was observed in 59 (63.4%) of the 93 HNSCC cases.
- High PD-L1 expression (Combined Proportion Score [CPS] ≥50) was found in 15 (16.1%) cases, and low expression (CPS ≥1) in 44 (47.3%) cases.
- High interobserver agreement (Cohen's kappa = 0.910) was achieved for PD-L1 IHC scoring; no significant correlation was found between PD-L1 scores and patient/tumor characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Immunohistochemistry for PD-L1 detection is crucial for identifying HNSCC patients suitable for targeted immunotherapy.
- PD-L1 status assessment via IHC supports personalized treatment strategies in HNSCC management.
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