The low intensity of PD-L1 expression in immune cells is associated with the poor survival of patients with lung cancer with malignant pleural effusion.
In seven patients with paired malignant effusion and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples, PD-L1 expression was significantly higher on CD3-positive T cells present in malignant effusions as compared with PBMCs (p = 0.016).