Immunotherapy and lung cytopathology: Overview and possibilities

Abstract

Immunotherapy has become a promising cancer treatment in the past decade, and IHC is the most commonly used testing method for PDL-1/PD1 evaluation. In general, PD-L1 assays can be performed on both FFPE specimens and cytological samples. However, their use on smears is not yet well-established or validated. Nowadays, digital images and advanced algorithms can aid in interpreting PD-L1 in cytological samples. Understanding the immune environment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is critical in developing successful anticancer immunotherapies. The use of a multiplexed immunofluorescence (mIF) assay on cytological samples obtained through minimally invasive methods appears to be a viable option for investigating the immune environment of NSCLC. This review aims to briefly summarize the knowledge of the role of cytopathology in the analysis of PD-L1 by immunocytochemistry (ICC) and future directions of cytopathology in the immunotherapy setting.