Background/Objectives: MET overexpression is common in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The correlation between MET overexpression and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy in NSCLC is underexplored. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, we curated a dataset of 279 stage IV NSCLC patients who received ICI treatment and had MET expression assessed by CLIA-certified immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. MET expression was graded on a scale from 0 to 3+, with overexpression defined as 2+ or 3+. Clinicopathological features associated with MET expression were assessed using logistic regression. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated via Kaplan–Meier analysis and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. To derive the most parsimonious and statistically robust models, stepwise refinement based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was applied. Results: MET overexpression was observed in 220 of 279 patients (78.9%). Adenocarcinoma histology (p= 0.003) and PD-L1 expression (p< 0.001) were independently associated with MET overexpression. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed patients with MET overexpression had significantly superior OS (p= 0.012) and PFS (p= 0.033). Full Cox regression analysis revealed that MET overexpression was associated with longer OS (p= 0.040), independent of PD-L1 levels. Patients with MET overexpression had numerically longer PFS (p= 0.145). Following adjustment for metastatic burden, the AIC-selected OS and PFS models both demonstrated that MET overexpression remained a significant prognostic factor (OS:p= 0.010; PFS:p= 0.026). Conclusions: This real-world study suggests that MET overexpression, as assessed by IHC, is associated with better survival in advanced NSCLC patients treated with ICIs, independent of PD-L1 level. These results suggest the potential of MET expression as a predictive marker for ICI efficacy in advanced NSCLC patients and support the combination of MET-targeted agents with anti-PD1/PD-L1 ICIs as a promising strategy for NSCLC patients with MET overexpression.
背景/目的：MET过表达在非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）中较为常见。MET过表达与免疫检查点抑制剂（ICI）在NSCLC中疗效的相关性尚待深入探索。方法：在这项回顾性观察队列研究中，我们收集了279例接受ICI治疗且通过CLIA认证的免疫组化（IHC）检测评估MET表达的IV期NSCLC患者数据。MET表达按0至3+分级，过表达定义为2+或3+。采用逻辑回归分析与MET表达相关的临床病理特征。通过Kaplan-Meier分析和多变量Cox比例风险模型评估总生存期（OS）和无进展生存期（PFS）。为获得最简约且统计稳健的模型，应用了基于赤池信息准则（AIC）的逐步优化方法。结果：在279例患者中，220例（78.9%）观察到MET过表达。腺癌组织学类型（p=0.003）和PD-L1表达（p<0.001）与MET过表达独立相关。Kaplan-Meier分析显示，MET过表达患者的OS（p=0.012）和PFS（p=0.033）显著更优。完整Cox回归分析表明，MET过表达与更长的OS相关（p=0.040），且独立于PD-L1水平。MET过表达患者的PFS在数值上更长（p=0.145）。经转移负荷调整后，AIC筛选的OS和PFS模型均证实MET过表达仍是显著的预后因素（OS：p=0.010；PFS：p=0.026）。结论：这项真实世界研究表明，通过IHC评估的MET过表达与接受ICI治疗的晚期NSCLC患者更好的生存期相关，且独立于PD-L1水平。这些结果提示MET表达可能作为晚期NSCLC患者ICI疗效的预测标志物，并支持MET靶向药物联合抗PD1/PD-L1 ICI作为MET过表达NSCLC患者的潜在治疗策略。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家