Computer-aided Image Analysis for PDL1 assessment in Canine Urothelial Carcinoma.

Computer-assisted PD-L1 analysis is feasible for canine urothelial carcinoma assessment.

This study evaluated the feasibility of computer-assisted image analysis for assessing programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in canine urothelial carcinoma (UC). PD-L1 is an important immune checkpoint molecule implicated in tumor immune evasion. The researchers used immunohistochemistry with a validated anti-PD-L1 antibody on 48 canine UC cases and analyzed whole-slide images using QuPath software with supervised classification tools. The analysis identified PD-L1-positive tumor and immune cells, calculating combined positive scores (CPS). Results showed 21% of tumors (10/48) expressed PD-L1. Computer-assisted CPS values correlated well with manual counts, and interobserver agreement among pathologists was good (ICC = 0.795). The findings support computer-assisted analysis as a feasible supplementary tool for standardizing PD-L1 assessment in canine UC, reducing subjectivity associated with manual evaluation of heterogeneous staining patterns. This methodology could enhance reproducibility and support immunotherapy candidate selection in veterinary oncology.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.