Thus, despite the fact that our analyses do not support the notion that PD-L1 methylation plays a major role in dictating PD-L1 expression, it might have a regulatory function in concert with specific cancer-cell-intrinsic signaling pathways or external stimuli generated in the tumor microenvironment, i.e., pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are known inducers of PD-L1 mRNA expression. Here, CD274 is linked to cancer.