Autophagy and cancer: Basic mechanisms and inhibitor development

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation system of cytoplasmic components that contributes to cellular homeostasis through the turnover of various biomolecules and organelles, often in a selective manner. Autophagy is closely related to cancer, but its roles in cancer are complicated. It works as either a promoter or suppressor, depending on the stage and type of cancer. In this review, we briefly summarize the basic mechanisms of autophagy and describe the complicated roles of autophagy in cancer. Moreover, we summarize the clinical trials of autophagy inhibitors targeting cancer and the development of more specific autophagy inhibitors for future clinical application.

Automated summary

Autophagy is a cellular process that degrades biomolecules and organelles, contributing to cellular homeostasis. Its roles in cancer are complex, acting as either a promoter or suppressor depending on the cancer stage and type. This review summarizes the basic mechanisms of autophagy and discusses its complicated roles in cancer. Additionally, it provides an overview of clinical trials on autophagy inhibitors for cancer and the development of more specific inhibitors for future clinical application.