Influence of PD-L1 expression in immune cells on the response to radiation therapy in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background and purposeTo investigate influences of proteins involved with tumor immunity on outcomes of radiotherapy for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Material and methodsWe performed immunohistochemical staining to examine expressions of p16 and proteins involved with tumor immunity in 92 OPSCC patients treated with radiotherapy. ResultsPatients with abundant infiltrating CD8-positive cells had the significantly better overall survival (OS) rate than patients with fewer CD8-positive cells (p = 0.026). Patients with higher PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TC 1–3) had a better outcome than those with low PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TC 0) for both OS (p = 0.019) and progression-free survival (PFS) rate (p = 0.032). Patients with high PD-L1 expression in infiltrating immune cells (IC 3) showed significantly better OS (p = 0.009) and PFS (p = 0.011) than those with low PD-L1 expression (IC 0–2). Patients with p16-negative and IC 3 showed similar OS to patients with p16-positive and IC 0–2. P16-positive tumors had a significantly higher CD8-positive cell infiltration and PD-L1 expression in tumor cells than p16-negative tumors. ConclusionsIn addition to tumor p16 expression, PD-L1 expression in TC and IC can be useful for predicting the response of OPSCC to radiotherapy.