CGAS and neoplasm: Different mechanisms have been proposed for how activation of the cGAS/STING pathway in non-tumor cells is mediated after IR: (i) phagosomal escape due to alkalinization of phagosomes in DCs [38]; (ii) transfer of the second messenger cGAMP from tumor cells to DCs [39], possibly via gap junctions [40]; (iii) direct exosomal transfer of tumor cell dsDNA to DCs [28]; (iv) uptake of oxidized tumor mitochondrial DNA [41].