Detailed Characterization of Immune Bio-Markers in Cancer Patients

Rao describes Multiple Myeloma, a plasma cell cancer and the biomarkers that can be used to classify and monitor the immune response through the progression of the disease. They Harvard group looked at myeloid derived suppressor cells, plasmacytoid DC, T-regulatory cells, TH17 cells and B cell subpopulations in the interrogation of the cancer. There was a humoral immunity deficiency, increased PD1 expression on effector cells and increased levels of PDL1 expression detected in the multiple myeloma patients.