Trial watch: chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death in oncology

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a process of regulated cell death that activates the immune system instead of suppressing it. It triggers innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to T cell-driven immunity against antigens from dying cancer cells. The effectiveness of ICD relies on the immunogenicity of the dying cells, characterized by their antigenicity and the exposure of immunostimulatory molecules like damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and cytokines such as type I interferons (IFNs). Certain chemotherapies, such as anthracyclines, paclitaxels, and oxaliplatin, have been identified as potent ICD inducers. Combining these ICD-inducing chemotherapies with immunotherapies can be beneficial for treating highly immuno-resistant tumors. Current research focuses on integrating ICD-inducing chemotherapy into immuno-oncological treatments.