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Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology

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01-11-2019 | NSCLC | Original Article – Cancer Research

Expression and clinical significance of PD-L1 and c-Myc in non-small cell lung cancer

Authors: Cuiling Zhou, Gang Che, Xiaobin Zheng, Junlan Qiu, Zhinan Xie, Yunyan Cong, Xiaofeng Pei, Hongyu Zhang, Huanhuan Sun, Haiqing Ma

Published in: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology | Issue 11/2019

Abstract

Background

It is known that there are insufficient prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It was reported that PD-L1 was a prognostic factor for NSCLC,and c-Myc regulated the expression of PD-L1. Herein, we investigated c-Myc and PD-L1 expression and their association with overall survival (OS) in NSCLC.

Methods

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were obtained from 128 patients with surgically resected primary NSCLC. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of PD-L1 and c-Myc in this study. Pearson’s Chi squared test or Fisher’s exact test was used to analyze the correlation of the expression of PD-L1 and c-Myc with clinicopathologic features. The relationship between OS and the expression of PD-L1 and c-Myc was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.

Results

Positive expression of PD-L1 was detected in 59 patients (46.1%). Patients with negative expression of PD-L1 had remarkably longer OS than those with positive expression of PD-L1. The positive expression rate of c-Myc in NSCLC accounted for 58.6% (75/128) and its expression was significantly more frequent in males (p = 0.002) and patients with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.029). PD-L1 expression was positively correlated with c-Myc expression (r = 0.459, p < 0.001). The PD-L1 and c-Myc double-positive group had a worse prognosis than other subgroups (p < 0.05), and the PD-L1 and c-Myc double-negative group had a better OS than other subgroups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Conjoint analysis of the expression of PD-L1 and c-Myc was a better prognostic approach for NSCLC patients.

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Title: Expression and clinical significance of PD-L1 and c-Myc in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Cuiling Zhou
Gang Che
Xiaobin Zheng
Junlan Qiu
Zhinan Xie
Yunyan Cong
Xiaofeng Pei
Hongyu Zhang
Huanhuan Sun
Haiqing Ma
Publication date: 01-11-2019
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: NSCLC
NSCLC
Published in: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology / Issue 11/2019
Print ISSN: 0171-5216
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1335
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-019-03025-8

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