Fig. 4

Distribution of circulating exhausted PD-1⁺/TIM-3⁺ T cells and anti-TERT Th1 response across NSCLC stages. a, b Levels of circulating PD-1⁺ and/or TIM-3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells (a) and CD8⁺ T cells (b) in localised NSCLC (stages I–III, n = 77) and metastatic NSCLC (stage IV, n = 68) (Mann–Whitney test). Box span indicates 25th–75th percentiles. Whiskers indicate the highest and lowest datapoints. c Frequency of circulating anti-TERT Th1 response in localised versus metastatic NSCLC (χ² test). d Ratio of anti-TERT IFN-γ spots to exhausted PD-1⁺/TIM-3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells in localised NSCLC (n = 77) and metastatic NSCLC (n = 68) (Mann–Whitney test). e Frequency of circulating IFN-γ antitumor Th1 response against WT-1, and NYESO-1, in localised versus metastatic NSCLC (χ² test). f Frequency of antiviral T-cell responses in localised NSCLC (n = 87) versus metastatic NSCLC (n = 83) (χ² test). Histograms indicate mean ± SD. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01. ns not significant