While immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have displayed efficacy in a variety of tumors, including advanced melanoma, lung cancer, sarcoma, and renal cell carcinoma4–7, PDAC patients do not significantly benefit from immunotherapy8,9. Here, PDCD1 is linked to lung cancer.