Comparison of PD-L1 Expression in Squamous Cell Carcinoma and
Adenocarcinoma of the Cervix in Paraffin Blocks of cervical cancer
patients
Abstract
Introduction: Cervical cancer, predominantly caused by human
papillomavirus (HPV), is a common malignancy in women. Distinct
histological subtypes, such as squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and
adenocarcinomas (AC), exhibit different characteristics and treatment
responses. Immune checkpoint molecules, including programmed cell death
protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), contribute to
immune evasion. This study aims to investigate PD-L1 expression in SCC
and AC of cervix and explore its association with clinical features.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on samples from 2016
to 2022 in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences-affiliated
hospitals, Tehran, Iran. Paraffin-embedded samples of histologically
confirmed cervical cancers (48 SCC - 16 AC) were analyzed, and clinical
data were extracted from medical records. PD-L1 expression was assessed
using immunohistochemistry, and the combined positive score was
utilized. Statistical analyses included T-tests, Chi-Square tests, and
non-parametric equivalents. Results: PD-L1 expression tended to be
higher in SCC cases, although the difference was not statistically
significant. Positive PD-L1 expression was more common in SCC cases.
However, no significant correlation was observed between PD-L1
expression and clinical features in either subgroup. Mean age and
clinical characteristics did not significantly differ between the SCC
and AC groups. Conclusion: This study investigated PD-L1 expression in
SCC and AC of the cervix and its relationship with clinical features.
Although SCC cases tended to exhibit higher PD-L1 expression, the
difference was not statistically significant. Further research is
warranted to elucidate the role of PD-L1 in cervical cancer and its
potential implications for immunotherapy.