Lastly, the functional significance of the changes induced by rs822336 on the induction of PD-L1 expression as well as the predictive value of rs822336 on the sensitivity to anti-PD-1/PD-L1-based immunotherapy is demonstrated by the in vitro differential recognition of NSCLC cells carrying different rs822336 genotypes utilizing HLA-matched PBMCs, and incubation with anti-PD-1 nivolumab. This evidence concerns the gene PDCD1 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.