Predictive Value of Combined Positive Score and Tumor Proportion Score for Immunotherapy Response in Advanced NSCLC

Introduction

In advanced-stage NSCLC, tumor proportion score (TPS) is typically used to predict the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Nevertheless, in other cancer types, the combined positive score (CPS), which covers programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on both tumor and surrounding immune cells, is used. We investigated the predictive value of CPS in comparison to TPS in advanced NSCLC.

Methods

A monocenter, retrospective study was performed in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICI monotherapy between 2015 and 2021. Hematoxylin and eosin and PD-L1 were stained on baseline tumor biopsy samples to score PD-L1 by both TPS and CPS. Positivity for TPS and CPS was defined as a score of 1% or above. Progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were assessed for TPS and CPS scores.

Results

Among the 187 included patients, PD-L1 positivity was found in 112 patients (59.9%) by TPS and 135 patients (72.2%) by CPS. There was no significant difference in OS between TPS- and TPS+ patients (p = 0.20). Nevertheless, CPS+ patients did have a longer OS than CPS- patients (p = 0.006). OS was superior in both TPS-/CPS+ and TPS+/CPS+ as compared with TPS-/CPS- cases (p = 0.018 and p = 0.015, respectively), whereas no considerable differences in OS were found between TPS-/CPS+ and TPS+/CPS+ cases.

Conclusions

This retrospective real-world population study revealed that CPS differentiated OS better than TPS in patients with advanced NSCLC with ICI monotherapy. Remarkably, this was driven by the performance of the TPS-/CPS+ subgroup, indicating that CPS may be a better predictive biomarker for ICI efficacy.

Higher testosterone is associated with open-angle glaucoma in women: a genetic predisposition?

BACKGROUND

Testosterone may be a possible modifiable risk factor for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and intraocular pressure (IOP), but evidence has been scarce and conflicting. In this study we evaluated the association of testosterone and its genetic predisposition with incident (i) OAG, IOP, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCL +).

METHODS

Participants aged 45-100 years were derived from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Study. Ophthalmic examinations and serum testosterone measurements (including bioavailable and free testosterone) were performed from 1991 onwards. Follow-up took place every 4-5 years. A total of 187 out of 7898 participants were diagnosed with incident (i) OAG during follow-up. Genotyping was performed in 165 glaucoma cases and 6708 controls. We calculated sex-specific weighted genetic risk scores (GRS) for total and bioavailable testosterone. Associations with iOAG were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Associations with IOP, RNFL, and GCL + were analyzed with multivariable linear regression. Analyses were stratified on sex and adjusted for at least age, body mass index, and follow-up duration.

RESULTS

In men, testosterone was not associated with iOAG. However, the GRS for higher total testosterone was associated with an increased iOAG risk (odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.48 [1.18; 5.22], per unit). In women, higher values of bioavailable testosterone (2.05 [1.00; 4.18] per nmol/L) and free testosterone (1.79 [1.00; 3.20] per ng/dL) were significantly associated with increased risk of iOAG. Moreover, the GRS for higher bioavailable testosterone was associated with an increased iOAG risk (2.48 [1.09; 5.65], per unit). Higher bioavailable and free testosterone were adversely associated with IOP (0.58 [0.05; 1.10] per nmol/L and 0.47 [0.04; 0.90] per ng/dL). Higher total testosterone was inversely associated with peripapillary RNFL and GCL + (Beta [95% CI]: - 3.54 [- 7.02; - 0.06] per nmol/L and - 2.18 [- 4.11; - 0.25] per nmol/L, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In women, higher testosterone levels increased the risk of iOAG. Both IOP-dependent and IOP-independent mechanisms may underlie this association. Managing testosterone levels may be particularly relevant for the prevention of neurodegeneration in the eye. Future research should confirm these findings.