Metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) benefits from several treatment options in the first-line setting with VEGFR inhibitors and/or immunotherapy including anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD1 agents.Identification of predictive biomarkers is highly needed to optimize patient care.Circulating markers could reflect the biology of metastatic disease.
Therefore, we evaluated soluble forms of PD-L1 (sPD-L1) and PD-1 (sPD-1) in mccRCC patients.The levels of sPD-L1 and sPD-1 were PERMANENT WAVES evaluated from plasma samples of mccRCC patients before they received a first-line treatment (T0) by the VEGFR inhibitor sunitinib (50 patients) or by the anti-VEGF bevacizumab (37 patients).The levels of sPD-L1 and sPD-1 were correlated to clinical parameters and progression-free survival (PFS).
High levels of sPD-1 or sPDL1 were not correlated to PFS under bevacizumab while they were independent prognostic factors of PFS in the sunitinib group.Patients with high T0 plasmatic levels of sPD-L1 had a shorter PFS (11.3 vs 22.
5 months, p =.011) in the sunitinib group.Equivalent shorter PFS was found with high levels of sPD-1 (8.
6 vs 14.1 months, p =.009).
mccRCC patients with high plasmatic levels of sPD-L1 or sPD-1 are poor responders to sunitinib.sPD-L1 or sPD-1 could be a valuable tool to guide the optimal treatment strategy Toys including VEGFR inhibitor.