PD-L1-negative patients showed a better prognosis than PD-L1-positive patients, even with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors following relapse (5-year OS: 94.3% vs. 83.2%, p < 0.01).<h4>Conclusion</h4>The expression of PD-L1 in lung cancer appears to be associated with oncological severity and may influence the prognosis of early-stage disease. Here, CD274 is linked to lung cancer.