Table 1.

The possible effects of cfDNA on tumor formation.

Harmful and Beneficial Impacts of cfDNA in Tumors
Protumor Effects		Anti-Tumor Effects
TLR9-MyD88 + ODN2395	boosts cell growth, migration, invasion, and IL8 secretion [206]	cfDNA sensing by TLR9	modulates anti-tumor immunity in response to chemotherapy [208]
TLR9-NF-kB-Cyclin D1	stimulation of cell proliferation [207]		promotes maturation and migration of DCs to lymph nodes [208]
cGAS-STING overexpression	reduces intratumoral inflammatory cell infiltration [210]		activates tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells [208]
	leads to poor prognosis [210]	low expression of cGAS-STING	ameliorates inflammation [209]
cGAS down-regulation	increases mortality [211]		enhances apoptosis [209]
cGAS-STING inhibition by NEAT1	promotes tumor growth [214]	STING activation	improves the protective effects of immunotherapy [212]
AIM2 cfDNA sensing	modifies mitochondrial dynamics [218,219]		enhances T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity [213]
cfDNA containing secretome	favors to supportive peritumoral milieu [229]	AIM2 (regardless of inflammasome activation)	favors tumor cell survival [100,215,216,217]
horizontal DNA transfer	favors to supportive peritumoral milieu [227,228,230,231]	NET deposition	displays cytotoxic effects [235,236]
NET formation	enhances adhesion, invasion, immune escape [232]		inhibits cell growth, migration, survival [235,236]
	serves as a scaffold and trapping element [234]		induces apoptosis [235]
NET + TLR4-TLR9-HMBG1	activates neutrophils [234]
	activates tumor cells [234]