Scientific Reports (May 2025)

The baseline circulating immunophenotype characteristics associate with PD(L)-1 targeted treatment response, irae onset, and prognosis

  • Xiaomin Fu,
  • Fanghui Li,
  • Hongqin You,
  • Benling Xu,
  • Tingjie Wang,
  • Peng Qin,
  • Lu Han,
  • Yong Zhang,
  • Fang Zhang,
  • Lingdi Zhao,
  • Baozhen Ma,
  • Yiman Shang,
  • Yonghao Yang,
  • Zibing Wang,
  • Jinrong Qu,
  • Quanli Gao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02597-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Abstract More promising, effective, and less-invasive biomarkers for PD(L)-1 targeted responses, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and prognosis are being explored. We conducted a single-center retrospective study in pan-cancer patients with anti-PD(L)-1 monotherapy. Observational endpoints included treatment response, prognosis, and irAEs. Peripheral blood immunophenotypes were analyzed by Flow Cytometry. 104 patients were enrolled. Higher pretreatment percentages of CD3+CD4+ Th cells were associated with both responses (HR: 6.170, P = 0.034) and prognosis (HR: 1.930, P = 0.022). The higher baseline percentage of CD16+CD56+ NK cells was positively correlated with response (HR: 3.730, P = 0.050) and negatively related to irAEs (HR: 0.460, P = 0.012). Decreased pretreatment CD3+ T cell counts were related to more irAEs (HR: 0.970, P = 0.026), while the percentage of CD3+ T cells was negatively associated with prognosis (HR: 1.930, P = 0.022). The higher baseline cell counts of CD3+CD8+ CTL, CD19+ B, and the percentage of CD19+ B cells might be related to more irAEs (P < 0.05). Significant correlation between duration of treatment (DOT) and prognosis, irAE and outcome was also confirmed (P < 0.0001). Our findings confirmed multiple baseline circulating immunophenotype characteristics were related to PD(L)-1 targeted response, irAE onset, and prognosis.

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