In RCC patients, PD-L1 expression positively correlated with VHL mutation, HIF-2alpha expression, adverse pathological features such as higher nuclear grade, necrosis and sarcomatoid transformation, c‐MET and VEGF expression [16, 21], thus resulting in a shorter progression-free and cancer-specific survival [21]. The gene discussed is EPAS1; the disease is renal cell carcinoma.