Dynamic changes in circulating PD-1CD8 T lymphocytes for predicting treatment response to PD-1 blockade in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: The predictive value of immune monitoring with circulating CD8 T lymphocytes for treatment response to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors has not been explored in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), prompting us to investigate whether dynamic changes in PD-1CD8 T lymphocytes have predictive value for durable clinical benefit (DCB) and survival after PD-1 blockade.

Methods: Patients with recurrent and/or metastatic NSCLC treated with PD-1 inhibitors were enrolled (discovery cohort; n = 94). Peripheral blood was obtained immediately before and after one cycle of treatment with PD-1 blockade.