To evaluate programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) staining fidelity between the primary tumor and associated lymph node metastases in bladder cancer. To secondarily evaluate whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) affects this relationship.

67 subjects with residual bladder cancer on cystectomy and associated positive lymph nodes were identified between 2008 and 2015. PD-L1 staining of tumor cells was evaluated using H score and 49 specimens were also evaluated using combined positive score (CPS). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to assess how various clinical variables affected odds of PD-L1 fidelity between primary and metastatic tumors.

Tumor PD-L1 staining was concordant in 79.1% of cases and CPS was concordant in 79.6% of cases. NAC did not significantly impact odds of PD-L1 or CPS fidelity (OR 1.974, 95% CI 0.673 – 5.784, OR 0.500, 95% CI 0.093 – 2.700). Among clinical variables analyzed on univariable analysis of tumor PD-L1 fidelity, H-score and PD-L1 staining intensity were associated with significantly increased odds of PD-L1 fidelity and the association with staining intensity was confirmed on multivariable analysis.

PD-L1 fidelity between primary bladder tumors and nodal metastases was observed in >75% of cases in this study. Additionally, NAC was not shown to diminish this propensity to maintain PD-L1 staining status. Further standardization of immunohistochemistry of tumor and infiltrating immune cells in metastatic bladder cancer is needed to improve application of therapeutics.

Urology. 2019 Jun 12 [Epub ahead of print]

Kinnari R Patel, Benjamin L Taylor, Francesca Khani, Thomas J Guzzo, Douglas S Scherr, Roshan Ravishankar, Priti Lal, S Bruce Malkowicz

Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA., Departments of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA., Departments of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA; Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA., Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA., Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: .

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