Tracking circulating PD-L1-positive cells to monitor the outcome of patients with gastric cancer receiving anti-HER2 plus anti-PD-1 therapy.

ABSTRACT: Dual blockade of HER2 and PD-1/PD-L1 is the most promising regimen for HER2-positive patients with gastric cancer (GC); PD-L1 combined positive score, rather than HER2 status, indicates potential benefit. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating endothelial cells (CECs) derived from the tumor microenvironment provide platforms for the dynamic evaluation of PD-L1 expression. Whether PD-L1 positive CTCs/CECs (PD-L1⁺CTCs/CECs) can serve as biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of combination therapy remains unknown. Therefore, this study investigated PD-L1 expression and heterogeneous karyotypic features of CTCs/CECs and their involvement in the clinical response to treatment in 72 patients with advanced GC by applying a pre-established surface molecule-independent subtracti

SUBMITTER: Chong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10764514 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature