A Population of HLA-DR+ Immature Cells Accumulate in the Blood Dendritic Cell Compartment of Patients with Different Types of Cancer

Dendritic cell (DC) defects are an important component of immunosuppression in cancer. Here, we assessed whether cancer could affect circulating DC populations and its correlation with tumor progression. The blood DC compartment was evaluated in 136 patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and malignant glioma. Phenotypic, quantitative, and functional analyses were performed at various stages of disease. Patients had significantly fewer circulating myeloid (CD11c + )a nd plasmacytoid (CD123 + ) DC, and a concurrent accumu