Impact of PD-L1, transforming growth factor-β expression and tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells on clinical outcome of patients with advanced thymic epithelial tumors: PD-L1, TGF-β, and CD8+ TILs in TETs

Background Advanced thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are indolent and poorly responsive to chemotherapy. PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors have shown remarkable clinical benefit in several cancers; however, many immunomodulatory molecules have been identified that affect the immune response. This study examined the progonostic roles of PD‐L1, transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), and CD8+ tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+ TILs) in patients with TETs.