Although there were no major differences in baseline patient characteristics and the outcome to nivolumab treatment between the ACT and the BCT biopsy groups, we were able to identify several predictive markers in the ACT group, including tumour PD-L1 expression and combined tumour and stromal infiltration of CD8+ immune cells for DCB, and stromal PD-1+, CD8+, CD3+ and CD4+ immune cells and tumour CD8+ immune cells for OS. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and neoplasm.