Article Text
Abstract
Aim The prognostic role of CD274 (programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)) overexpression has been examined in many studies. However, the results are controversial and conflicting. The present study aims to investigate the potential role of CD274 (PD-L1) immunohistochemical overexpression as a prognostic marker in malignant tumours.
Methods We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from inception to December 2021 to identify potentially eligible studies. The pooled HRs with 95% CIs were calculated to identify the association between CD274 (PD-L1) overexpression and overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival, disease-free survival, recurrence-free survival and progression-free survival in 10 lethal malignant tumours. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also analysed.
Results The study included 57 322 patients from 250 eligible studies (241 articles). The meta-analysis by tumour type using multivariate HR revealed worse OS in non-small cell lung cancer (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.68), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.74), pancreatic cancer (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.02), renal cell carcinoma (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.14) and colorectal cancer (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.88). Estimated HRs showed associations between CD274 (PD-L1) overexpression and worse prognosis across different types of tumours in various survival endpoints, but no inverse correlation was identified. The heterogeneity for most of the pooled results was high.
Conclusions This large meta-analysis suggests that CD274 (PD-L1) overexpression is a potential biomarker for multiple types of cancers. However, further studies are needed to reduce high heterogeneity.
PROSPERO registration number CRD42022296801.
- NEOPLASMS
- IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY
- Medical Oncology
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Not applicable.
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Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Not applicable.
Footnotes
Handling editor Yoh Zen.
Contributors Conceptualisation: JHP, JIS, BJL, LS and AK; methodology: JIS, BJL, CL and SO; literature review and data extraction: JHP, JIS, BJL and CL; original draft preparation, JHP, JIS and BJL; data interpretation and discussion, manuscript editing and approval of the final version of the manuscript: all authors, guarantor: JIS and BJL.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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