ArticleBMC cancer2024
The impact of the expression level of growth differentiation factor 15 in tumor tissue on the response to immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.
Article in BMC cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- GDF-15 as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Pooled it
- Tumour GDF-15 Expression and Clinical Outcomes in Intermediate-Risk Metastatic Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Second-Line Nivolumab.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2026Article
- GDF15: A Hijacked Metabo-Hormone Orchestrating Cachexia and Immunosuppression in Cancer.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Osteocyte-Derived GDF15 Promotes Paclitaxel Resistance, Tumor Growth, and Bone Microenvironment Regulation in Prostate Cancer.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Article
- Morusin targeting GDF15 enhances ferroptosis and overcomes cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Pleiotropic effects of GDF-15 to regulate nutritional status: perspectives from body composition to nutrition-related disorders.British journal of biomedical science · 2026Review
- Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) as an emerging biomarker for cardiovascular and kidney diseases, a therapeutic target in cancer and a potential biomarker for preeclampsia.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Associations of growth differentiation factor 15 with kidney function in frail and pre-frail older individuals: the mediating role of inflammation and oxidative stress.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- The Multifaceted Role of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15): A Narrative Review from Cancer Cachexia to Target Therapy.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Growth differentiation factor 15: a promising biomarker in oral cancer.Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons · 2025Article
- Impact of Serum GDF-15 and IL-6 on Immunotherapy Response in Cancer: A Prospective Study.Cancers · 2024Article
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9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundGrowth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, is overexpressed in various cancers and facilitates immune evasion by inhibiting T-cell activation. GDFATHER-TRIAL's phase 2a results demonstrated promising outcomes when combining the GDF-15 neutralizing antibody visugromab (CTL002) with nivolumab, enhancing the response to immunotherapy. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of GDF-15 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor tissues in terms of immunotherapy response.
methodsThis retrospective study included 50 patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with nivolumab at Gazi University Hospital between January 2021 and July 2023. GDF-15 expression was evaluated using immunochemistry staining and categorized based on the intensity of cytoplasmic or membranous staining. Samples were divided into a low expression group (scores 0 and 1) and a high expression group (scores 2 and 3). The primary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), which were analyzed using Kaplan‒Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Objective response rates were assessed in secondary outcomes.
resultsOf the 50 patients, 43 were men (86%), with a median age of 63.9 years. Half of the patients exhibited low GDF-15 expression. High GDF-15 expression correlated with shorter PFS and OS. The median PFS was 7.8 months for the low-expression group versus 4.4 months for the high-expression group (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.20-0.83; p = 0.013). The median OS was 18.1 months for the low-expression group compared to 11.8 months for the high-expression group (HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.78; p = 0.007). The objective response rate was significantly greater in the low GDF-15 group (52%) than in the high GDF-15 group (24%) (p = 0.040).
conclusionElevated GDF-15 expression in NSCLC tumor tissues is associated with poorer response to nivolumab, suggesting that GDF-15 is a potential prognostic biomarker for immunotherapy efficacy. These findings warrant further validation through prospective studies to optimize treatment strategies for NSCLC patients.
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