Clinical Significance of PD-L1 Status in Circulating Tumor Cells for Cancer Management during Immunotherapy

The approval of monoclonal antibodies against programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed cell death protein (PD1) has changed the landscape of cancer treatment. To date, many immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic cancer as well as locally recurrent advanced cancer. However, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of ICIs highlight the need for biomarker analysis with strong predictive value. Liquid biopsy is an important tool for clinical oncologists to monitor cancer patients and administer or change appropriate therapy. CTCs frequently express PD-L1, and this constitutes a clinically useful and non-invasive method to assess PD-L1 status in real-time. This review summarizes all the latest findings about the clinical significance of CTC for the management of cancer patients during the administration of immunotherapy and mainly focuses on the assessment of PD-L1 expression in CTCs.

Automated summary

The approval of monoclonal antibodies against PD-L1 and PD1 has revolutionized cancer treatment, but the occurrence of irAEs highlights the need for biomarker analysis with strong predictive value. Liquid biopsy is an important tool for clinical oncologists to monitor and adjust therapy, and CTCs expressing PD-L1 can serve as a clinically useful and non-invasive method to assess PD-L1 status in real-time.