Nowadays, we believe that the detection of variable amounts of programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1, also known as B7H1 or CD274), and later on of PD-L2 (B7DC or CD273) expression on primary HRS cells with high level of expression of the counter-receptor, programmed death-1 (PD-1) on surrounding T cells is the clinically most relevant finding explaining the immunosuppressive tumor environment (21). The gene discussed is CD274; the disease is neoplasm.