Expression of Programmed Death-Ligand 1 in Cervical Cancer: Correlation With Histologic Subtypes and
Zahra Vahedpoor1, Amirhasan Matini1, Habibollah Rahimi2
1Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is common in cervical cancer, particularly in keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and HPV-positive tumors. However, PD-L1 expression does not predict patient survival in cervical cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cervical cancer is a major global health concern, with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma as primary types.
- Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is linked to immune evasion in cervical cancer, but its prognostic value is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate PD-L1 expression in cervical cancer.
- To correlate PD-L1 expression with clinicopathological features and patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 47 cervical cancer patients.
- Assessed PD-L1 expression via immunohistochemistry (IHC).
- Correlated PD-L1 with clinical data, HPV status, and 2-year survival using Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier analysis.
Main Results:
- PD-L1 was expressed in 61.2% of cervical cancer cases.
- Expression was significantly higher in keratinizing SCC and diffuse HPV-positive tumors (p<0.001).
- PD-L1 correlated with advanced FIGO stage (p=0.03) but not with age, vascular invasion, or 2-year survival.
Conclusions:
- PD-L1 is frequently expressed in cervical cancer, especially in keratinizing SCC and HPV-diffuse types.
- PD-L1 expression alone is not a significant prognostic biomarker for 2-year survival.
- Further research with combined immune and molecular markers is necessary for improved prognostication and treatment strategies.
