The prognostic impact of programmed cell death 1 and its ligand and the correlation with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in thymic carcinoma.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, PD-L1, and PD-1 + TILs have prognostic impact, and PD-L1 is correlated with EMT status. PD-L1 expression after IT was significantly higher compared to before IT and was correlated with the EMT change. Thus, PD-L1 may be upregulated during EMT, and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy may provide reliable treatment of TC in combination with chemotherapy.