PD-L1 expression in lung cancer and its correlation with driver mutations: a meta-analysis

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 31;7(1):10255. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-10925-7.

Abstract

Although many studies have addressed the prognostic value of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in lung cancer, the results remain controversial. A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify the correlation between PD-L1 expression and driver mutations and overall survival (OS). This meta-analysis enrolled a total of 11,444 patients for 47 studies, and the pooled results showed that increased PD-L1 expression was associated with poor prognosis (HR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.19-1.65, P < 0.001). In subgroup analysis stratified according to histology types, the pooled results demonstrated that increased PD-L1 expression was an unfavorable prognostic factor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05-1.52, P = 0.01) and pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) (HR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.19-7.77, P = 0.02), rather than small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.27-1.39, P = 0.24). The pooled ORs indicated that PD-L1 expression was associated with gender, smoking status, histology, differentiation, tumour size, lymph nodal metastasis, TNM stage and EGFR mutation. However, PD-L1 expression was not correlated with ALK rearrangement and KRAS mutations.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • B7-H1 Antigen / genetics*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Mutation*
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prognosis
  • Publication Bias

Substances

  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CD274 protein, human