SSTR2 exhibits a positive correlation with PD-L1 and predicts poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the expression profiles and prognostic significance of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and explores their potential as therapeutic targets.

METHODS

SSTR2 and PD-L1 expression levels were analyzed in 209 NPC tissue samples and 25 non-cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues using immunohistochemistry and bioinformatics approaches. The correlation between their expression levels, clinicopathological features, and patient survival outcomes was examined and evaluated. Additionally, the correlation between SSTR2 and PD-L1 was explored at the cellular level in vitro using NPC cell lines.

RESULTS

Both SSTR2 and PD-L1 were significantly overexpressed in NPC tissues compared to normal tissues. Elevated levels of SSTR2 and/or PD-L1 were associated with advanced T stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and tumor progression. High expression of SSTR2 and/or PD-L1 was identified as an independent prognostic factor predicting reduced progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, a positive correlation between the expression levels of SSTR2 and PD-L1 was observed, suggesting a potential synergistic effect.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that SSTR2 and PD-L1 are promising prognostic biomarkers for NPC and may also serve as therapeutic targets. Combined targeting of SSTR2 and PD-L1 could improve treatment outcomes in NPC patients.