Immunogenic cell death in hematological malignancies

Abstract

Anticancer therapies using cytotoxic drugs, which had been considered to be immunosuppressive, could induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in cancer cells. Anticancer drugs, tumor-lytic viruses, and radiation therapies can establish long-term immune memory via emmision of damage-associated molecular pattern from cancer cells, activating the acquired immunity. This phenomenon could prolong the survival of patients with cancer. ICD was originally reported in solid tumors; however, recent studies have shown that it also occurs in hematological malignancy. Several studies have been trying to combine ICD inducers and other immunotherapies, such as CAR-T-cell therapy. Therefore, treatment strategies should be considered based on drugs’ ability to evoke ICD.