Although antibodies blocking PD1/PDL1 have led to impressive clinical responses in some patients with melanoma, lung cancer, or renal cell carcinoma, the objective response rates to single-agent anti-PD1 or -PDL1 therapies are only 15–25% in chemotherapy-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)1,2. The gene discussed is CD274; the disease is hereditary clear cell renal cell carcinoma.