PD-L1 Expression and BCG Treatment in Bladder Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): de Jong Florus C., Kvikstad Vebjørn, Hoedemaeker Robert F., van der Made Angelique C. J., van der Bosch Thierry P., van Casteren Niels J., van Kessel Kim E. M., Zwarthoff Ellen C., Boormans Joost L., Zuiverloon Tahlita C. M.
Primary Institution: Erasmus University Medical Center
Hypothesis
PD-L1 protein expression could serve as a biomarker for BCG-failure in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Conclusion
PD-L1 expression in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is not a biomarker of response to BCG, although it is higher in tumors that failed BCG treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- PD-L1 was expressed in only 7% of BCG-naïve tumors.
- PD-L1 expression was not associated with treatment failure after adequate BCG.
- High PD-L1 expression was more frequent in tumor recurrences compared to BCG-naïve tumors.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether a protein called PD-L1 could help predict if bladder cancer treatment would work. It found that PD-L1 doesn't help with this prediction.
Methodology
Patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who received at least 5 BCG treatments were included, and PD-L1 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature of the study and the use of a single antibody.
Limitations
The study only used one type of antibody for PD-L1 assessment, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients included were those with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, treated at four hospitals in the Netherlands and Norway.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.782
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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