KRAS Mutation Subtypes, Co-Mutations, PD-L1 Expression, and Survival Outcomes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: KRAS mutations are among the most common oncogenic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are associated with substantial molecular and immunological heterogeneity. However, the clinicopathological associations and prognostic relevance of KRAS mutation subtypes and co-occurring genomic alterations in relation to PD-L1 expression and survival outcomes remain incompletely understood, particularly in the immunotherapy era. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 93 KRAS-mutant NSCLC patients identified among 543 consecutively sequenced cases between March 2024 and March 2025. KRAS mutation subtypes, co-mutations involving TP53, STK11, and KEAP1, PD-L1 expression status, clinicopathological features, and survival outcomes were evaluated. Overall survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: KRAS mutations were detected in 17.1% of NSCLC patients. G12C was the most frequent KRAS subtype (38.7%), followed by G12V (18.3%) and G12D (14.0%). Co-occurring mutations were identified in 73.1% of cases, most commonly involving TP53 (40.9%) and STK11 (33.3%). PD-L1 expression was negative in 48.4% of patients, low in 28.0%, and high in 23.7%. No significant association was identified between KRAS mutation subtype and PD-L1 expression (p = 0.663). STK11-mutated tumors demonstrated a trend toward lower PD-L1 expression levels compared with STK11 wild-type tumors. However, none of the molecular variables retained independent prognostic significance. Immunotherapy was associated with significantly prolonged overall survival (median OS: 24 vs. 7 months, p = 0.013) and remained independently associated with improved survival in multivariate analysis (HR: 0.376, 95% CI: 0.204-0.694, p = 0.002). Advanced-stage disease independently predicted worse survival outcomes (HR: 13.43, 95% CI: 1.81-99.79, p = 0.011). Conclusions: KRAS mutation subtypes and co-occurring genomic alterations demonstrated limited independent prognostic significance in this real-world NSCLC cohort. In contrast, immunotherapy was associated with improved overall survival in this retrospective cohort. These findings should be interpreted as observational and hypothesis-generating rather than evidence of predictive treatment benefit. Larger prospective studies integrating genomic and immune biomarkers are warranted.