A study by Malietzis et al. suggests that an association exists between dendritic cell function and body composition.22 In this prospective study of colorectal cancer patients, presence of low SMD was significantly associated with poorer expression of CD83 and CCR7, a costimulatory/maturation and migration signal, respectively, on circulating dendritic cells. The gene discussed is CCR7; the disease is colorectal cancer.