PD-L1 Positive: 27 Real Stories

27 stories match PD-L1 positive. 25 of them mention immunotherapy.

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IIA triple-negative neuroendocrine breast carcinoma with chemoimmunotherapy response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage II

Biomarkers: Triple-negative neuroendocrine breast carcinoma with PD-L1 CPS >=10, and reported germline BRCA1/2 mutation.

As of March 2025, 12 months after surgery, follow-up imaging and tumor-marker testing showed no local recurrence or distant metastasis, and she remained in good general condition.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Recurrent squamous lung cancer with tumor emboli, acute limb ischemia, brain metastases, and death

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: p40-positive; TTF-1-negative; PD-L1 not expressed / no PD-L1 reported in raw case

Metastatic Site: brain/cerebral metastases; tumor emboli in upper and…

The patient developed recurrent acute limb ischemia from tumor emboli, then new cerebral metastases, and died from advanced disease 7 months after the bilateral lower-limb ischemia presentation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Caitlin, who was diagnosed with Stage II Ovarian Squamous Cell CarcinomaOvarian Cancer

Stage II Ovarian Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Caitlin's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Caitlin Koehler, female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: PD-L1: high expression

After surgery for recurrence, Caitlin remained on maintenance therapy and her follow-up scans showed no evidence of disease.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

ALK-rearranged Stage IVA lung adenocarcinoma: partial response to pembrolizumab as eighth-line treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK strongly positive by IHC 3+; ALK rearrangement confirmed by FISH; PD-L1 expression 95% by 22C3 immunostaining; CEA 2.3 ng/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: brain

Nine months after pembrolizumab was started as eighth-line therapy, he maintained a partial response after prior progression on multiple ALK inhibitors and chemotherapies.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IIIA squamous lung cancer with pathologic complete response after immunochemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: PD-L1 TPS 90%; PD-L1 CPS 100%; EGFR p.G719S 24.9%; EGFR p.S768I 24.6%; TP53 p.S183* 7.2%; TMB 0.0 Muts/Mb

Systematic imaging in March 2025 showed no recurrence or metastasis, with postoperative disease-free survival longer than 30 months and overall survival longer than 34 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage I Pleomorphic Lung Cancer Recurring With Bone Metastasis Within Five Months

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 high; no detected driver mutation

Metastatic Site: bone

PET-CT in December 2024 showed a partial response. As of February 2025, he remained on sintilimab and bevacizumab maintenance with about 9 months of progression-free survival after recurrence treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Maggie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Maggie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Maggie, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: lungs, lymph nodes; possible liver

Diagnosed in 2022 with de novo Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer involving the lungs and lymph nodes, with possible liver involvement. After entering a chemotherapy/immunotherapy clinical trial, she reported being cancer-free / no evidence of disease for well over 1 year as of February 2025.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IIB squamous cell lung cancer: pathological complete response after chemo-immunotherapy and surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage II

Biomarkers: PD-L1 >85%; P40-positive; TTF-1-negative; CEA 1.2 ng/mL; cytokeratin 19 fragments 1.7 ng/mL; pro-gastrin-releasing peptide 54 pg/mL

No recurrence for 1 year and 7 months without further treatment after transbronchoscopic resection, pembrolizumab-based chemoimmunotherapy, pneumonitis management, and sleeve resection showing pathological complete response.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: stable disease on immunotherapy combination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: TP53, and MSH2 mutations; PD-L1 locally positive; Ki-67 20%; ALK negative. Markers otherwise supported lung cancer.

Metastatic Site: left atrium, right adrenal gland, skull; hilar and…

Stage IVB NSCLC remained clinically stable during carboplatin, pemetrexed, and tislelizumab, but treatment was stopped because of financial and psychological burden; later cancer status was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung squamous cell carcinoma spreading to bone and intestine

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive in almost all tumor cells

Metastatic Site: bone (left femur), intestine, abdomen

Despite chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, the lung cancer progressed with intestinal and extensive abdominal metastases, cachexia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Palliative care was planned, but he chose discharge and received no further treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IIIA EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: surgery after osimertinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

Biomarkers: EGFR E746_A750 deletion; PD-L1 TPS 15%; TMB 5.01 Muts/Mb; TTF-1 3+; CK7 3+; Ki67 60%

As of July 2024, surveillance CT scans at 2, 6, and 12 months after surgery showed no recurrent malignancy while he continued adjuvant osimertinib.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Lenny, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Lenny's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lenny, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 expression positive

Metastatic Site: right femur; brain/cerebellum

As of July 2024, Lenny described himself as NED/no evidence of disease after surgery, CyberKnife radiation, chemotherapy, and Keytruda-based immunotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Tim, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Tim's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tim Monds, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: High PD-L1 expression

Metastatic Site: Other lung lobes / lung nodules

As of March 2024, Tim Monds was identified as a Stage IV lung cancer survivor involved in discussion of the PaCES early palliative-care project and broader lung cancer advocacy.

Lung Cancer Voices
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung CancerLung Cancer

Immunotherapy and surgery for adenosquamous lung cancer with brain metastases

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive; no actionable mutations on next-generation sequencing.

After chemotherapy, 19 cycles of pembrolizumab, and right middle lobectomy, she was off immunotherapy and under observation in remission.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung CancerLung Cancer

Strong Response to Pembrolizumab-Based Therapy for Pleomorphic Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage III

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 TPS 90%-100%.

A marked response followed four combination cycles, and maintenance pembrolizumab remained ongoing seven months after treatment began.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Pembrolizumab Controlled Metastatic Pleomorphic Lung Cancer After Chemotherapy Failed

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; BRAF-negative; PD-L1 TPS 60%-70%; BRCA2, and TP53 mutations; tumor mutation burden 42 mutations/Mb; no actionable alteration.

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland; left adrenal gland; bone

Tumor diameter had decreased at 11 months, and pembrolizumab remained ongoing at 12 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung Cancer Metastases to Both Kidneys Causing Kidney Failure

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: PD-L1 highly expressed

Metastatic Site: brain|bilateral kidneys|lungs

The cancer progressed in both kidneys and lungs despite treatment, causing dialysis-dependent kidney failure. He later developed severe respiratory illness and died 5 days after readmission.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Pleomorphic Lung Cancer Progressed Despite Pembrolizumab

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 TPS 80%-90%.

Metastatic Site: small intestine; pleura; abdominal subcutaneous tissue

The cancer did not respond to pembrolizumab, and he died four months after immunotherapy began.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory