{
  "abstract": "Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that shape antitumor immunity by integrating antigen uptake, processing, presentation, co-stimulation, and cytokine-mediated T-cell instruction. Their function is therefore critical for generating tumor-specific T-cell responses and may influence responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although early ex vivo DC vaccines established feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity, clinical efficacy has been heterogeneous. Sipuleucel-T demonstrated an overall-survival benefit in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, whereas DCVax-L produced encouraging but methodologically debated survival signals in glioblastoma. More recently, individualized neoantigen mRNA vaccination combined with pembrolizumab has shown durable recurrence-free survival benefit in resected high-risk melanoma. This review examines the biological rationale for DC-directed immunotherapy, tumor-induced DC dysfunction, next-generation DC platforms, in vivo DC targeting, DC-derived extracellular vesicles, negative and controversial clinical evidence, and rational combinations with checkpoint blockade and tumor-microenvironment-modulating strategies. The field is evolving from the use of DCs as cellular vaccine vehicles toward programmable immune-priming approaches that integrate antigen quality, DC functional state, spatial organization, and tumor microenvironment features.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Hematology-Oncology and Stem-Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Onco-Hematology and Innovative Diagnostics, Istituto Nazionale Tumori—IRCCS—Fondazione G. Pascale, IRCCS, 80131 Napoli, Italy"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Serena Zanotta",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4917-2076"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Domenico Galati",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5613-9149"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bjn2e0mdxccrm.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/ijms27219607",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bjn2e0mdxccrm",
  "issns": [
    "1422-0067"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9607",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2403|Immunotherapy and Immune Responses"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223995645",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-27",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bjn2e0mdxccrm.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:57Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/ijms27219607",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9607"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2403|Immunotherapy and Immune Responses",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Targeting Dendritic Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy: From Immune Priming to Tumor Microenvironment Reprogramming",
  "title_text": "Targeting Dendritic Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy: From Immune Priming to Tumor Microenvironment Reprogramming",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:57Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bjn2e0mdxccrm",
  "venue": "International Journal of Molecular Sciences",
  "versions": []
}