Even though subsets of patients with HCC and esophageal and gastric cancers with a high programmed death ligand-l (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) derive clinical benefit from ICIs, the benefits remain relatively modest compared to those seen in other cancers that are more responsive to ICIs such as melanoma, lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Here, CD274 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.