PDCD1 and neoplasm: Recent studies have demonstrated the interplay between anti-tumor immune responses and autophagy via several mechanisms, including degradation of NK-cells-derived granzyme B, which otherwise induces a cytotoxic effect on tumor cells, as well as enhancement of inhibitory checkpoint inhibitors’ (ICIs) expression, such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein (PD-1) via autophagy in malignant cells.