CD8A and renal cell carcinoma: CD8+ T cell infiltration, CD8+/CD4+ T cell ratio, activated/resting NK cell ratio, M1 macrophages, M1/M2 macrophage ratio, as well as the Th1 score were all significantly increased (Mann–Whitney q < 0.05) in S/R RCC in both cohorts independently (Fig. 4b, Supplementary Fig. S6a; Supplementary Data 9).