We detected PD-L1 and intra-tumoral CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD8+ TIL) in 19 patients with esophageal carcinosarcoma (ECS). The median follow-up period of these patients was 43 months, and the three- and five-year survival rates were 78.9 and 63.2%, respectively. No statistically significant correlation was observed between PD-L1 and CD8+ TIL in sarcomatous components(SC) (r = -0.262, p = 0.279) and epithelial carcinomatous (EC) (r = 0.055, p = 0.824). This study examined the immunological markers in ECS for the first time. PD-L1 is highly expressed in the SC and is associated with a poorer prognosis.
Keywords: Esophageal carcinosarcoma; PD-L1; clinicopathological features; intra-tumoral CD8+ T lymphocytes; prognosis.