Immunogenic and non-immunogenic cell death in the tumor microenvironment

Abstract

The host immune system is continuously exposed to dying cells and has evolved to distinguish between cell death events signaling potential threats and physiological apoptosis that should be tolerated. Tumors can use this distinction to their advantage, promoting apoptotic death of cancer cells to induce tolerance and evasion of immunosurveillance. On the other hand, stimuli that cause immunogenic death of cancer cells can induce an effective anti-tumor immune response. In this chapter we discuss different forms of cell death in the tumor microenvironment, and how these interact with host immune cells to impact tumor progression and cancer therapy. We focus on how cancer cells hijack aspects of cell death to promote tumor survival, and how anti-cancer treatments that activate immunogenic death modalities give strong and durable clinical efficacy.