PDCD1 and renal cell carcinoma: Subsequently, antibodies blocking the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1):PD-L1 pathway, now referred to as an immune checkpoint, along with CTLA-4, have demonstrated promising effects in patients for treating more than ten types of cancers, including non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC)7–9.