Real-World Evidence That Non-Smokers With High PD-L1 Non-Squamous NSCLC Have Poorer Outcomes With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) improve outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high PD-L1 expression, but biomarkers beyond PD-L1 are limited. Smoking-related immune activation may enhance ICI efficacy, yet evidence in non-squamous NSCLC, especially among non-smokers, is sparse.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 74 patients with Stage IIIB-IV non-squamous NSCLC, PD-L1 ≥ 50%, and no EGFR/ALK/ROS1 mutations, treated at a tertiary center in Taiwan (2017-2023). Patients were stratified by smoking status. Treatment responses, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using RECIST v1.1, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression.

Results

Among 74 patients, 54 (72.9%) were smokers and 20 (27.1%) were non-smokers. Compared w

SUBMITTER: Kuo YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12443809 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature