The effect of acute acid exposure on immunomodulatory protein secretion, cell survival, and cell cycle progression in tumour cell lines

•Tumour cells secrete cytokines and growth factors that support tumour growth, survival, and protection from immune-mediated death.•Increased glycolysis and hypoxia create an acidic microenvironment in tumours.•While some cell death is induced by acidity, some tumour cells lines adapt to survive moderate acidity.•Factors released by apoptosis of tumour cells may promote survival in related cells in some cell lines, and death in other cells lines.•Understanding the acidic microenvironment in different tumours could improve therapeutic approaches.