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. 2023 Nov 6;19(1):48.
doi: 10.1186/s13005-023-00395-w.

Immune checkpoint analysis in ear cancer

M Klein  1 , E Polgart  2 , C Hallermann  3   4 , H J Schulze  4 , F Hölzle  5 , K Wermker  6
Affiliations

Immune checkpoint analysis in ear cancer

M Klein et al. Head Face Med. .

Abstract

Background: Among cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, the ear (ecSCC) is one of the most common sites. Loco regional lymph node metastasis is found in six to eleven percent of cases, corresponding to increased metastasis compared to other sites. The aim of this study was to test the markers PD-L1, PD-1, CD4, CD8, and FoxP3 for suitability as prognostic predictive markers.

Methods: Sixty-four patients with ecSCC were included in this study. The expression of immunohistochemical markers (PD-L1, PD-1, CD4, CD8, FOXP3) was correlated with retrospective clinic pathological parameters (lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymph node metastasis during follow-up, disease progression, disease-specific death).

Results: There was a correlation between increased disease specific death and a weak Foxp3 (p = 0.003) or reduced CD8 (p = 0.04). A PD-L1 expression > 1% was found in 39.1% of patients.

Conclusion: The investigated markers (CD4, CD8, FoxP3, PD-1, PD-L1) seem overall rather inappropriate for prognostic evaluation in ecSCC. Only the correlation of disease specific death with CD8 or FoxP3 seems to be worth testing in larger collectives.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Shows immunohistochemically stained CD4 + t-cells in the tumor microenvironment (magnification 400 × ; tissue Sect. 4 μm)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Shows immunohistochemically stained CD8 + cytotoxic t-cells (magnification 400 × ; tissue Sect. 4 μm)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Shows immunohistochemically stained PD-1 + (magnification 400 × ; tissue Sect. 4 μm)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Shows immunohistochemically stained Foxp3 + regulatory t-cells (magnification 400 × ; tissue Sect. 4 μm)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Shows immunohistochemically stained PD-L1 + squamous cell carcinomas of the ear (ecSCC; magnification 400 × ; tissue Sect. 4 μm)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Shows a boxplot diagram of the disease-specific survival and the expression of CD8 (left side). On the right side, disease-specific survival is plotted against FoxP3 expression. Increased disease-specific survival correlates significantly with decreased CD8 expression (p = 0.04) and decreased FoxP3 expression (p = 0.003)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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