This may be further supported by the tolerogenic liver milieu and chronic inflammation due to the underlying liver disease.6, 14, 15, 16 Notably, overexpression of the checkpoint molecules programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) and programmed cell death protein‐1 (PD‐1) was associated with tumour aggressiveness and postoperative recurrence in HCC.17, 18. This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and neoplasm.