Prognostic Significance of PD-L1 and PTEN Expression in Prostatic Cancer

Programmed death- ligand 1(PD-L1) acts as an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a somatically mutated tumor suppressor gene in numerous types of human cancer. The current study aimed to assess the prognostic value of PD-L1 and PTEN expression in prostatic cancer patients, as well as their relationship with the clinicopathological features of the disease.
A total of 55 needle biopsy specimens were retrospectively diagnosed as prostatic adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining with PD-L1 and PTEN were evaluated in all the cases. The patients were followed up for 5 years in order to detect disease recurrence and survival.
PD-L1 expression in Prostate cancer was positively correlated with high prostatic specific antigen (PSA), higher Gleason score, advanced stage, higher tumor relapse, and worse disease-free and overall survival (P < 0.001). PTEN loss was significantly associated with high PSA, higher Gleason score < 7, advanced tumor stage, tumor relapse, and worse disease-free and overall survival (P < 0.001). We observed a significant negative correlation between PTEN and PD-L1.
PDL-1 and PTEN are prognostic markers for prostate cancer, which can differentiate between the patients who are at a high risk of disease progression and may successively provide novel targeted therapies.