Feasibility and Safety of Intrathoracic Biopsy and Repeat Biopsy for Evaluation of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Expression for Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Radiology. 2018 Apr;287(1):326-332. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2017170347. Epub 2017 Dec 12.

Abstract

Purpose To determine feasibility and safety of biopsy and repeat biopsy for assessment of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) status. Materials and Methods This retrospective analysis reviewed 101 patients who underwent transthoracic core needle biopsy for the KEYNOTE-001 (MK-3475) clinical trial of pembrolizumab, an antiprogrammed cell death-1 therapy for non-small cell lung cancer, from May 2012 to September 2014. Sixty-one male patients (mean age, 66.1 years; range 36-83 years) and 40 female patients (mean age, 66.8 years; age range, 36-90 years) were included. Data collected included population characteristics, treatment history, target location, size, and depth from pleura. Adequacy of the tissue sample for diagnostic testing and rates of biopsy-related complications were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed by using univariate and multivariate generalized linear models to determine significant risk factors for biopsy complications. Results A total of 110 intrathoracic biopsies were performed, and 101 (91.8%) were performed as repeat biopsies subsequent to a previous percutaneous or bronchoscopic biopsy or previous surgical biopsy or resection. More than 84.5% (93 of 110) of biopsies were performed in patients who had undergone previous local or systemic therapy. Specimens were adequate for evaluation of PD-L1 expression in 96.4% of biopsies. Procedure-related complications occurred in 28 biopsies (25.4%); pneumothorax was most common (22.7%). Overall mean number of core needle biopsy samples obtained was 7.9 samples. Conclusion Image-guided transthoracic core needle biopsy is an effective method for obtaining tissue for PD-L1 expression analysis. © RSNA, 2017.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / urine*
  • B7-H1 Antigen / metabolism*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Biopsy, Large-Core Needle / adverse effects
  • Biopsy, Large-Core Needle / methods
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology*
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image-Guided Biopsy / adverse effects
  • Image-Guided Biopsy / methods
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography, Interventional / methods
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • pembrolizumab