The Prognostic Impact of Tumor Microenvironment and Checkpoint Blockade-Associated Molecules (PD-1, PD-L1, CD163 and CD14) in Nodal Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, NOS.

It is aimed to determine expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), CD163 and CD14 in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), and whether these markers may predict prognosis in DLBCL cases. A total of 52 nodal DLBCL, NOS cases with no known extranodal involvement at the time of diagnosis were evaluated. PD-1, PD-L1, CD163, and CD14 were studied by immunohistochemistry. The relationships between the results and clinical and laboratory prognostic markers were investigated. It was observed that patients with PD-1 expression < 5 positive cells/HPF had worse overall survival. No significant relationship was found between survival and PD-L1, CD163 and CD14 expressions. In addition, cases that are > 60 years of age, that have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score ≥ 2, stage IV disease, high International Prognostic Index score score (≥ 3), elevation of LDH, low albumin level, low hemoglobin level, low peripheral blood lymphocyte count, high peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, high peripheral blood platelet/lymphocyte ratio were found to have worse overall survival. It was concluded that in patients with low number of PD-1 positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have low survival rates and therefore PD-1 expression may be useful in indicating prognosis.