Connection between PD-L1 expression and standardized uptake value in NSCLC: an early prognostic treatment combination

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Lung cancer is still diagnosed at advanced stage and early treatment initiation is needed. Therefore, we need biomarkers or clusters of information that can provide early treatment prognosis.

Methods: Biopsies were acquired from 471 patients-lung masses with CT-guided biopsy, convex probe transthorasic biopsy, and EBUS-TBNA convex probe with 18 G needles and 19 G needles.

Results: Standardized uptake value (SUV) measurement is associated with female, smoking status, hepatic metastasis, adenocarcinoma and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). In specific we expect that SUV ≥ 7 is associated with PD-L1 ≥ 50.

Conclusions: Lung masses indifferent of size that have SUV ≥ 7 will also have PD-L1 expression ≥ 50. Also, it is likely that these patients will be female with intense smoking habit and hepar or multiple metastasis.

KEYWORDS:

• PET-CT
• lung cancer
• bronchoscopy
• EBUS-TBNA
• SUV

Article highlights

• SUV, PD-L1 expression and NSCLC, has been established in previous studies, however; we performed biopsies on the main lesions with large tissue samples and in the main lesions.

• SUV and PD-L1 expression as an early prognostic factor could be a future treatment approach, however; we need further studies with large patient series.

• SUV and PD-L1 expression differs between the different non-small cell cancer types because of the different genome and ki-67 rate and therefore the same cancers should be included in future studies.

• SUV and PD-L1 should be evaluated in the future with re-biopsies so that we can associate again or not the two parameters and be sure whether this cluster can be used as prognostic marker for immunotherapy.

• SUV and PD-L1 expression between histology subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma patients have higher PD-L1 expression than adenocarcinoma patients.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.