Significant higher CPS scores were found for the metastases and Stages II and III samples compared with the Stage I samples (P = 0.0024 and P = 0.0356, respectively; Fig. 1D, E), which indicated that male patients with advanced HCC may benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade therapy. This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and hepatocellular carcinoma.