Although immune escape and increasement of PD1/PD‐L1 would be accompanied by drug resistance in lung cancer, it is more commonly induced in tumour and normal cells by cytokines, especially IFN‐γ.6 The complexity of PD‐L1 expression has made it difficult to identify the specific PD‐L1 expressing cells that contribute to escape from immune surveillance, which implies mechanistic and clinical importance for PD‐L1 expression may stratify response of patients to anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 immunotherapy.7 Past attempts to resolve this dilemma have been inconclusive. The gene discussed is CD274; the disease is lung cancer.