EFFICACY OF PULSED DENDRITIC CELL SUBSETS IN GENERATING CANCER SPECIFIC IMMUNE RESPONSES

Abstract

Currently there is no consensus on the adjuvant treatments for pancreatic cancer. Most patients die within a year of diagnosis, despite undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Novel treatment is warranted for this type of deadly cancer. In the past decades, scientists have attempted to harness the ability of our immune response to combat foreign antigens as immunotherapy against cancer cells. The use of dendritic cells (DCs) has been a popular choice due to the important role they play in linking innate and adaptive immunity. In the past few years, it has become evident that DCs exist as a heterogeneous population; several subsets have been described with different biological functions. More research is needed to determine which DC subsets are more efficient in eliciting an anti-tumor immune response and thus, would be optimal for delivering cancer vaccines.