Serum and Tumor PD-L1 Expression and Aggressive Clinicopathologic Features in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Are serum programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) levels and tumor PD-L1 expression associated with aggressive clinicopathologic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC)? In this cohort study including 62 patients with PTC, serum PD-L1 levels were markedly higher in aggressive vs nonaggressive PTC and were associated with macroscopic extrathyroidal extension and aggressive histology. Tumor PD-L1 positivity was associated with BRAF V600E variation; serum PD-L1 was not correlated with tumor PD-L1 expression. Serum PD-L1 may serve as a complementary prognostic biomarker alongside tumor PD-L1 in aggressive PTC, particularly in settings where tissue sampling is limited, although longitudinal validation is needed before clinical application.

Corresponding Author: Cherie-Ann O. Nathan, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71103 (cherieann.nathan@lsuhs.edu).

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