Metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) benefits from several treatment options in the first-line setting with VEGFR inhibitors and/or immunotherapy including anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD1 agents. Identification of predictive biomarkers is highly needed to optimize patient care. Circulating markers could reflect the biology of metastatic disease. Therefore, we evaluated soluble forms of PD-L1 (sPD-L1) and PD-1 (sPD-1) in mccRCC patients. The levels of sPD-L1 and sPD-1 were evaluated from plasma samples of mccRCC patients before they received a first-line treatment (T0) by the VEGFR inhibitor sunitinib (50 patients) or by the anti-VEGF bevacizumab (37 patients). The levels of sPD-L1 and sPD-1 were correlated to clinical parameters and progression-free survival (PFS). High levels of sPD-1 or sPDL1 were not correlated to PFS under bevacizumab while they were independent prognostic factors of PFS in the sunitinib group. Patients with high T0 plasmatic levels of sPD-L1 had a shorter PFS (11.3 vs 22.5 months, p = .011) in the sunitinib group. Equivalent shorter PFS was found with high levels of sPD-1 (8.6 vs 14.1 months, p = .009). mccRCC patients with high plasmatic levels of sPD-L1 or sPD-1 are poor responders to sunitinib. sPD-L1 or sPD-1 could be a valuable tool to guide the optimal treatment strategy including VEGFR inhibitor.
Oncoimmunology. 2020 Nov 25*** epublish ***
Christopher Montemagno, Anais Hagege, Delphine Borchiellini, Brice Thamphya, Olivia Rastoin, Damien Ambrosetti, Juan Iovanna, Nathalie Rioux-Leclercq, Camillio Porta, Sylvie Negrier, Jean-Marc Ferrero, Emmanuel Chamorey, Gilles Pagès, Maeva Dufies
Biomedical Department, Centre Scientifique De Monaco, principally of Monaco., Centre Antoine Lacassagne, University Cote d'Azur (UCA), Institute for research on cancer and aging of Nice, CNRS UMR 7284; INSERM U1081, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nic, France., University Côte d'Azur, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Department of Medical Oncology, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France., Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Department of Statistic, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France., Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) De Nice, Hôpital Pasteur, Central Laboratory of Pathology University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France., Team Pancreatic Cancer, Centre De Recherche En Cancérologie De Marseille (CRCM), Marseille, France., University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Rennes, France., Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, I.R.C.C.S. San Matteo University Hospital, Pavia, Italy (Present Affiliation: University of Bari 'A. Moro', Bari, Italy., Centre Léon Bérard, University Hospital De Lyon, Lyon, France.