Simultaneous high PD-L1 and low VEGFR2 expression is associated with better overall survival in rectal cancer

Background The aim of the present study was to analyze the association of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression levels with clinicopathological characteristics and survival to provide a treatment strategy for rectal cancer. Methods Immunohistochemical staining of VEGFR2 and PD-L1 was carried out, and the association of PD-L1 and VEGFR2 expression levels with clinicopathological characteristics and survival were investigated in 77 pair-matched rectal cancer patients. Results PD-L1 and VEGFR2 expression levels in surgical tumor tissues were higher than those in paired adjacent normal tissues, respectively (both P