There are reports, however, of the presence of PD-1 on tumor cells in other tumors with a relevant inflammatory background like melanoma.20 Inflammation has been shown to be a key driver also for the induction of PD-L1.21 What is clear from our data is the strict relationship between entity of lymphocytic infiltrate, PD1/PD-L1 positivity and aggressive HCC phenotype. Here, PDCD1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.