Inhibition of autophagy; an opportunity for the treatment of cancer resistance

The process of macroautophagy plays a pivotal role in the degradation of long-lived, superfluous, and damaged proteins and organelles, which are later recycled for cellular use. Normal cells rely on autophagy to combat various stressors and insults to ensure survival. However, autophagy is often upregulated in cancer cells, promoting a more aggressive phenotype that allows mutated cells to evade death after exposure to therapeutic treatments. As a result, autophagy has emerged as a significant factor in therapeutic resistance across many cancer types, with underlying mechanisms such as DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and immune evasion. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the role of autophagy in therapeutic resistance and the limitations of available autophagic inhibitors in cancer treatment. It also highlights the urgent need to explore new inhibitors that can synergize with existing therapies to achieve better patient treatment outcomes. Advancing research in this field is crucial for developing more effective treatments that can help improve the lives of cancer patients.

Automated summary

The process of macroautophagy is essential for degrading unnecessary and damaged proteins and organelles, which are then reused by the cells. Autophagy is crucial for normal cells to survive various stressors, but it is often upregulated in cancer cells, promoting their aggressive behavior and resistance to treatment. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the role of autophagy in therapeutic resistance and the limitations of current autophagic inhibitors in cancer treatment. It emphasizes the urgent need to explore new inhibitors that can work synergistically with existing therapies to improve patient outcomes. Advancing research in this field is critical for developing more effective treatments and enhancing the lives of cancer patients.