Expression of CD38 on Macrophages Predicts Improved Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

CD38 is involved in the adenosine pathway, which represents one of the immunosuppressive mechanisms in cancer. CD38 is broadly expressed across immune cell subsets, including human macrophages differentiated from monocytes, but expression by tissue-resident macrophages remains to be demonstrated. Tissue samples were obtained from 66 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Singapore and analyzed using immunohistochemistry.