Paucity of dendritic cells in pancreatic cancer.
BACKGROUND
The number of dendritic cells (DC) in the local tumor environment correlates with patient survival in numerous tumors. The relationship of DC infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and prognosis was examined in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Forty-seven pancreatectomy specimens with a diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified retrospectively and analyzed with the dendritic cell markers S-100 and CD1a. Patient survival was correlated with these markers and with p53, CD3, CD20, CD68, Ki-67.


RESULTS
Significant numbers (>3 per high-powered field) of tumor-associated S100(+) or CD1a(+) cells were found in only 2/47 patients (4%). When present, dendritic cells were located outside the margin of the tumor. CD3, CD68, and CD20 positive cells were rare or absent in 96%, 92%, and 93% of the specimens. A correlation with survival and numbers of immune cells could not be made secondary to their rarity. The median survival was 18.9 months. No other indices measured correlated with survival.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, there is a paucity of immune cells within the tumor.
Dallal
Ramsey M
RM
Department of Surgery and Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Christakos
Peter
P
Lee
Kenneth
K
Egawa
Shinichi
S
Son
Young-Ik
YI
Lotze
Michael T
MT
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D009418:S100 Proteins; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule