Correlation of PD-L1 Expression Tested by 22C3 and SP263 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Its Prognostic Effect on EGFR Mutation–Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma

• Main Authors: Taehee Kim, M.D., Yoon Jin Cha, M.D., Ph.D., Yoon Soo Chang, M.D., Ph.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2020-01-01
• Series: Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• Subjects: pd-l1; companion diagnotics; egfr; non-small cell lung cancer
• Online Access: https://e-trd.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.4046/trd.2019.0026&code=0003TRD&vmode=FULL
• ISSN: 1738-3536; 2005-6184

Background Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC)—22C3, SP263, and SP142. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation among the three methods of PD-L1 IHC in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and clinical significance of PD-L1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–tyrosine kinase domain mutation. Methods The results of 230 patients who were pathologically confirmed as having NSCLC; tested using PD-L1 IHC 22C3, SP263, and SP142 methods; and evaluated via the peptide nucleic acid clamping method to confirm EGFR mutation, were analyzed in this study. Results 164 patients underwent both the SP263 and 22C3 tests. There was a significant positive correlation between the outcomes of the two tests (Spearman correlation coefficient=0.912, p<0.001), with a derived regression equation as follows: 22C3=15.2+0.884×SP263 (R2=0.792, p<0.001). There was no relationship between the expression of PD-L1 and clinical parameters, including EGFR–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) mutation. The PD-L1 expression in patients treated with EGFR-TKI yielded a 2-month-shorter progression period than that in the PD-L1–negative group. However, this did not reach statistical significance (PD-L1<1% vs. PD-L1≥1%, 10 months vs. 8 months). Conclusion The results of the 22C3 and those of SP263 methods were in good correlation with one another. Since the PD-L1 expression is not influenced by the EGFR mutation, it is necessary to perform a PD-L1 test to set the treatment direction in the patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.