The immunogenicity of tumor cell death

A combination of signals elicits an efficient immune response against tumor cells that are dying in response to anthracyclines or ionizing irradiation. During early apoptosis, caspase activation and endoplasmic reticulum stress facilitate the surface exposure of immunogenic effectors followed by the release of soluble factors that are indispensable for effective immune response. Failure of tumor cells to expose/secrete such immunogenic factors and/or failure of the immune system to sense such effectors may compromise the efficacy of conventional anticancer therapies.