Because expression of MHC II and costimulatory molecules on the surface of DC from cancer patients has been correlated to their immunostimulatory capacity (Gabrilovich et al, 1997), we evaluated the expression of HLA-DR and CD86 in 40 patients with early and advanced disease (stage I, n=19; stage II, n=12 and stage IV, n=9) compared to controls (n=14). This evidence concerns the gene CD86 and cancer.