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. 2023 May 29;19(1):44.
doi: 10.3892/br.2023.1627. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Programmed death‑ligand 1 expression in tumor cells and tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with depth of tumor invasion in penile cancer

Sakkarn Sangkhamanon  1 , Natcha Kotano  1 , Wichien Sirithanaphol  2 , Ukrit Rompsaithong  2 , Pakorn Kiatsopit  2 , Aumkhae Sookprasert  3 , Kosin Wirasorn  3 , Prin Twinprai  4 , Piyakarn Watcharenwong  3 , Jarin Chindaprasirt  3
Affiliations

Programmed death‑ligand 1 expression in tumor cells and tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with depth of tumor invasion in penile cancer

Sakkarn Sangkhamanon et al. Biomed Rep. .

Abstract

The present study aimed to demonstrate the proportion of the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in penile cancer patients and the association with clinicopathological parameters. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were obtained from 43 patients with primary penile squamous cell carcinoma treated at Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, between 2008 and 2018. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by the immunohistochemistry using an SP263 monoclonal antibody. PD-L1 positivity was defined as >25% tumor cell staining or >25% tumor-associated immune cell staining. The correlation between PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. A total of eight of 43 patients (18.6%) were identified as positive for PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. In the PD-L1 positive group, there was a significant association with pathological T stage (P=0.014) with a higher percentage of PD-L1 positive tumors in T1 stage compared with T2-T4 stage. In this cohort, there was a trend towards longer survival in patients with positive PD-L1 expression (5-year OS: 75% vs. 61.2%, P=0.19). Lymph node involvement and the location of tumor at the shaft of penis were two independent prognostic factors for survival. In conclusion, the PD-L1 expression was detected in 18% of penile cancer patients and high expression of PD-L1 was associated with the early T stage.

Keywords: PD-L1; penile cancer; programmed death-ligand 1; squamous cell carcinoma of penis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
H&E and PD-L1 staining in penile SCC tissues. (A-D) H&E staining and positive PD-L1 expression in same area of tissue. (E-H) H&E staining and negative PD-L1 expression in the same area of tissue. Scale bar, 100 µm (magnification, x40). H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand-1; SCC, squamous cell carcinoma.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The significant survival analysis of clinicopathological features of SCC patients. (A) tumor locations. (B) lymph node metastasis status. SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; HR, hazard ratio.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The comparison of PD-L1 levels between negative and positive in tumor and immune cells. (A) The expression of PD-L1 in tumor cells. (B) The expression of PD-L1 in immune cells. PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand-1.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The association of PD-L1 expression between tumor and immune cells. X-axis is PD-L1 expression in immune cells and Y-axis is PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand-1; R2, Pearson's correlation coefficient.
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