The role of autophagy in cancer, and therapies for cancer in relation to autophagy

Autophagy, or self-digestion, is the process in which a cell degradates its cellular content, what normally occurs when cells are in metabolic stress. Autophagy serves as a recycling mechanism, and is also responsible for removal of damaged proteins and organelles. Recently, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes are identified to play an important role in autophagy, what suggest that autophagy is involved in cancer. This makes autophagy a potential new target in anti-cancer therapy. Whether autophagy plays a negative or positive role in cancer is still controversial. It is thought that autophagy has a dual role in cancer. When tumor cells are in metabolic stress, autophagy is induced what helps tumor cells to survive. On the other hand, suppression of autophagy kills tumor cells in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. When tumor cells are more sensitive, the dose of therapy can be reduced causing less side effects. Inducing of autophagy may be used in patients who have an increased risk of developing cancer. Inhibiting autophagy may be used in patients who have already developed a tumor. This report will focus on the pathways that link autophagy with cancer, and how targeting autophagy may improve cancer therapy. Future research must focus on understanding autophagy and modulation of autophagy completely, so new therapies for cancer and prevention of cancer can be developed.