PDCD1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: According to the BCLC treatment algorithm, patients with BCLC stage C (advanced-stage HCC) are typically treated with systemic therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) pathways, and combinations of these treatments (4–11).