Definition:

The cancer immunity cycle (CIC) is comprised of a series of events that are required for immune-mediated control of tumor growth. This cycle can be divided into seven major steps, starting with the release of antigens from the cancer cell and ending with the killing of cancer cells. Firstly, the cycle is initiated by the release of cancer-associated antigens (CAAs) from dying cancer cells.  In mammals, these antigens are captured and processed by dendritic cells (DCs) and presented to naïve T-cells within tumor-draining lymph nodes.  The activated, cancer antigen-specific CD8+ T-cells mobilize to and infiltrate tumors, where they recognize and eliminate cancer cells via recognition of cognate peptide antigen bound to MHC class I molecules (pMHC) present on the cancer cell surface.  The subsequent release of additional CAAs initiates a new round of the CIC and amplifies the magnitude of the immune response with each subsequent round. Interference with one or more events of the CIC enables tumors to evade immune-mediated destruction.