In this study, we report our findings regarding an HBV mouse model sequentially treated with recombinant mouse-IFN-alpha (rmIFN-α) and an anti-mouse-PD1 antibody and a clinical Phase I study of sequential therapy with ropeginterferon alfa-2b and the anti-human PD1 antibody nivolumab in patients with HBV-related HCC after curative surgery. This evidence concerns the gene PDCD1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.