Increased expression of hsp70 contributes to tumor cell progression, and its release into the extracellular space makes it an ideal biomarker to monitor the outcome of radiation therapy and other cancer treatments. Malarial parasites use this chaperone protein to survive sudden changes in temperature. Viruses use hsp70 for protein folding, thereby hijacking the human host’s chaperone system. Here, HSPA4 is linked to cancer.