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Programmed Death Ligand-1 Expression in Gastric Cancer Cases in Zambia
Husna Munshi1,2, Chibamba Mumba1, Mupeta Songwe3
1Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia.
Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences
|July 14, 2025
Summary
In Zambia, a pilot study found that only 14.6% of gastric cancer (GC) patients expressed Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1), a biomarker for immune evasion and targeted therapy response.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of mortality in Zambia, often diagnosed late.
- Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) is a crucial biomarker in GC, influencing immune evasion and therapeutic response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate PD-L1 expression in Zambian GC cases.
- To investigate the association between PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological prognostic factors.
Main Methods:
- Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded GC tissues from 41 patients were analyzed.
- Immunohistochemical staining assessed PD-L1 expression using a combined positive scoring system.
- Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 15.
Main Results:
- PD-L1 expression (combined positive score ≥1) was observed in 14.6% of GC cases.
- No significant associations were found between PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological variables.
- A small subset of GC patients (14.6%) showed potentially targetable PD-L1 expression.
Conclusions:
- A minority of Zambian gastric cancer patients express PD-L1.
- This finding identifies a potentially treatable patient group for PD-L1 targeted therapies in Zambia.
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