Leonardo Brunetti

Leonardo Brunetti


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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28 June 2025 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LBLeonardo Brunetti
Leonardo Brunetti
VSValentina Santo
Valentina Santo
AGAlessandro Galletti
Alessandro Galletti
AGalain gelibter
alain gelibter
ALAntonio Lugini
Antonio Lugini
MRMarco Russano
Marco Russano
Background/Objectives: Despite advances in immunotherapy, reliable biomarkers beyond PD-L1 expression are urgently needed to optimize treatment decisions in advanced non-squamous NSCLC. Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 (TTF-1), a biomarker associated with favorable prognosis in chemotherapy-treated patients, has unclear prognostic implications in the immunotherapy era. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study involving 163 advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients treated with first-line immunotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy and an additional historical chemotherapy-only cohort (n = 37). We evaluated the prognostic significance of TTF-1 expression for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). A systematic review and meta-analysis, performed following PRISMA guidelines, integrated our findings with existing evidence. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: TTF-1 negativity was associated with significantly worse median PFS (6.7 vs. 16 months; HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.59–3.13; p < 0.001) and OS (11.5 vs. 26.4 months; HR 2.33, 95% CI 1.64–3.45; p < 0.001) compared to TTF-1 positivity. The prognostic value of TTF-1 was independent of PD-L1 status, with limited predictive relevance of PD-L1 expression observed within TTF-1-negative tumors. Meta-analysis (9 studies, 14 cohorts, n = 2019 patients) confirmed significantly inferior outcomes for TTF-1-negative patients across multiple immunotherapy-based regimens (pooled HR for PFS: 1.75, 95% CI 1.50–2.04; OS: 1.76, 95% CI 1.45–2.14). Conclusions: TTF-1 negativity independently predicts poor prognosis in advanced non-squamous NSCLC treated with immunotherapy-based regimens, identifying patients with limited benefit despite high PD-L1 expression. Integrating TTF-1 status into clinical practice may guide personalized treatment strategies, highlighting the need for prospective validation.