In vitro immunomodulatory properties of gemcitabine alone and in combination with interferon-alpha.

In general, conventional chemotherapy is associated with significant toxicity leading to immunosuppression manifesting mainly in the lymphocyte depletion. This immunosuppression promotes tumor growth and elicits the tumor cell dissemination. However, chemotherapy can be immune stimulative especially in combination with an immunotherapy.

Characterization of myeloid leukocytes and soluble mediators in pancreatic cancer: importance of myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents one of the deadliest cancers in the world. PDAC cells activate tumor-specific immune responses but simultaneously trigger a strong immunosuppression. We showed that PDAC cells produce high amount of chronic inflammatory mediators and PDAC tumors build an immunosuppressive cytokine milieu, which correlates with tumor progression.