Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38604811›Full record

ArticleJournal for immunotherapy of cancer2024

Longitudinal analysis of PD-L1 expression in patients with relapsed NSCLC.

Nikolaus John, Verena Schlintl, Teresa Sassmann, Jörg Lindenmann, Melanie Fediuk, Robert Wurm, Philipp Douschan, Martin Zacharias, Lipika Kalson, Florian Posch and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. ClonalLife science alliance · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 1 institution in 3 countries.

Nikolaus JohnDivision of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Verena SchlintlDivision of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Teresa SassmannDivision of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Jörg LindenmannDivision of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Melanie FediukDivision of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Robert WurmDivision of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Philipp DouschanDivision of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Martin ZachariasDiagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Lipika KalsonDiagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Florian PoschDivision of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Gudrun AbsengerDivision of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Luka BrcicDiagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria angelika.terbuch@medunigraz.at luka.brcic@medunigraz.at.
Philipp J JostDivision of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Angelika TerbuchDivision of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria angelika.terbuch@medunigraz.at luka.brcic@medunigraz.at.ORCID 0000-0003-2918-1370
Medical University of Graz · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use and approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depends on PD-L1 expression in the tumor tissue. Nevertheless, PD-L1 often fails to predict response to treatment. One possible explanation could be a change in PD-L1 expression during the course of the disease and the neglect of reassessment. The purpose of this study was a longitudinal analysis of PD-L1 expression in patients with relapsed NSCLC.

methodsWe retrospectively analyzed PD-L1 expression in patients with early-stage NSCLC and subsequent relapse in preoperative samples, matched surgical specimens and biopsy samples of disease recurrence. Ventana PD-L1 (SP263) immunohistochemistry assay was used for all samples. PD-L1 expression was scored based on clinically relevant groups (0%, 1%-49%, and ≥50%). The primary endpoint was the change in PD-L1 score group between preoperative samples, matched surgical specimens and relapsed tumor tissue.

results395 consecutive patients with stages I-III NSCLC and 136 (34%) patients with a subsequent relapse were identified. For 87 patients at least two specimens for comparison of PD-L1 expression between early stage and relapsed disease were available. In 72 cases, a longitudinal analysis between preoperative biopsy, the surgically resected specimen and biopsy of disease recurrence was feasible. When comparing preoperative and matched surgical specimens, a treatment-relevant conversion of PD-L1 expression group was found in 25 patients (34.7%). Neoadjuvant treatment showed no significant effect on PD-L1 alteration (p=0.39). In 32 (36.8%) out of 87 cases, a change in PD-L1 group was observed when biopsies of disease relapse were compared with early-stage disease. Adjuvant treatment was not significantly associated with a change in PD-L1 expression (p=0.53). 39 patients (54.2%) showed at least 1 change into a different PD-L1 score group during the course of disease. 14 patients (19.4%) changed the PD-L1 score group twice, 5 (6.9%) of them being found in all different score groups.

conclusionPD-L1 expression shows dynamic changes during the course of disease. There is an urgent need for consensus guidelines to define a PD-L1 testing strategy including time points of reassessment, the number of biopsies to be obtained and judgment of surgical specimens.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungLung NeoplasmsSmall Cell Lung CarcinomaB7-H1 AntigenHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalRecurrenceRetrospective StudiesB7-H1 AntigenBiomarkerImmune Checkpoint InhibitorLung Cancer

Identifiers

PMID38604811
PMCPMC11015283
OpenAlexW4394758833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.