Notably, high p62 expression inversely correlated with immune cell infiltration in most epithelial cancers, such as BRCA, COAD, ESCA, HNSC, KIRC, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, PAAD, PRAD, READ, THCA, while coinciding with elevated expression of immunosuppressive checkpoints such as PD-L1, B7-H3, EBAG9, PVR, and TGFB1, supporting a link between p62-driven metabolic remodeling and an immune-excluded tumor microenvironment. This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and neoplasm.