title: Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) amplification in stage III/IV lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQC).
abstract: This study was conducted to explore programmed cell death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) amplification in stage IIIB/IV lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQC). Correlations between PD-L1 and FGFR1, and with clinicopathological characteristics, efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy, and prognosis were analyzed.
  
  
  
  One hundred and twenty-eight consecutive stage III/IV SQC patients were enrolled in this study from 2009 to 2014. Seventy-eight patients received platinum-based chemotherapy. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess PD-L1 expression and fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to detect FGFR1 amplification.
  
  
  
  PD-L1 expression was detected in 61.7% (79/128) of lung SQC patients. Smokers had significantly higher PD-L1 expression rates than non-smokers (66.1% vs. 44.0%, P  = 0.042, respectively). The objective response and disease control rates for platinum-based chemotherapy were not significantly different between PD-L1 negative and positive patients (43.3% vs. 36.2%, P  = 0.434; 80.0% vs. 78.7% P  = 0.840, respectively); however, overall survival in PD-L1-negative patients was significantly longer than in PD-L1-positive patients (41.5 vs. 19.3 months, P  = 0.001). Twenty-five percent (32/128) of patients displayed FGFR1 amplification, with a lower rate in stage III patients compared to stage IV (17.1% vs. 36.5%, P  = 0.013, respectively). There was no significant difference in FGFR1 amplification levels between overall response, disease control or overall survival rates. No correlation was observed between PD-L1 expression and FGFR1 amplification ( P  = 0.916).
  
  
  
  PD-L1 expression may function as a prognostic factor in Chinese stage III/IV SQC patients. FGFR1 amplification is more prevalent in late stage SQC patients but does not predict chemotherapy response. There is no apparent correlation between PD-L1 expression and FGFR1 amplification.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department Division One, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Taiyuan, China.
authors.forename: Qinxiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Sifan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Minglei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute of Cancer Research, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002681:China; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; D017671:Platinum Compounds; C496348:FGFR1 protein, human; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1
keywords: 
  FGFR1 amplification; 
  PD-L1 expression; squamous lung carcinoma