Fig. 4: Prognostic value of the EGFR-DLS in the different cohorts and in guiding treatment.

a–c The prognostic value of the EGFR-DLS in the TKI-treated cohort. a The correlation between the EGFR-DLS and the SUV_max of the 18F-MPG PET/CT imaging. p Value indicates two-sided Spearman rank-correlation test. b The objective response to TKI treatment relative to the EGFR-DLS. n = 27, 9, and 31 for PD, SD, and PR/CR groups, respectively. In the box plot, the central line represents the median, the bounds of box the first and third quartiles, and the whiskers are the interquartile range. p Value shows two-sided ANOVA. * denotes a p value <0.05. c The progression survival of patients relative the EGFR-DLS (cutoff: 0.5). d–f Prognostic value of the EGFR-DLS in the ICI-treated cohorts. d The progression survival of patients relative the EGFR-DLS. e The progression survival of patients relative the EGFR-DLS and histology type (ADC adenocarcinoma, SCC squamous cell carcinoma). f Progression-free survival of patients relative the EGFR-DLS and PD-L1 status (EGFR-DLS cutoff: 0.5). HDLS high EGFR-DLS, LDLS low EGFR-DLS, PD-L1− PD-L1 negative (i.e., the tumor proportion score (TPS) < 1%), PD-L1+ PD-L1 positive (i.e., the tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 1%). The LPDL1− patients with low EGFR-DLS and negative PD-L1 status, LPDL1+ patients with low EGFR-DLS and positive PD-L1 status, HPDL1− patients with high EGFR-DLS and negative PD-L1 status, HPDL1+ patients with high-EGFR-DLS and positive PD-L1 status. g The progression survival of patients relative the EGFR-DLS and different treatment using the combined TKI-treated and ICI-treated cohorts with adenocarcinoma (EGFR-DLS cutoff: 0.5). HDLS high EGFR-DLS, LDLS low EGFR-DLS. Comparisons of the above progression survival curves were performed with a two-sided log-rank test. h Proposed alternative guideline to use EGFR-DLS, PDL1_DLS, and ECOG PS score for decision support for NSCLC patients. ECOG PS Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status.