Apoptosis in cancer biology and therapy Review
| Authors: | Moyer, A.; Tanaka, K.; Cheng, E. H. |
| Review Title: | Apoptosis in cancer biology and therapy |
| Abstract: | Since its inception, the study of apoptosis has been intricately linked to the field of cancer. The term apoptosis was coined more than five decades ago following its identification in both healthy tissues and malignant neoplasms. The subsequent elucidation of its molecular mechanisms has significantly enhanced our understanding of how cancer cells hijack physiological processes to evade cell death. Moreover, it has shed light on the pathways through which most anticancer therapeutics induce tumor cell death, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These mechanistic studies have paved the way for the development of therapeutics directly targeting either pro- or antiapoptotic proteins. Notably, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax in 2016, with additional agents currently undergoing clinical trials. Recent research has brought to the forefront both the anti- and proinflammatory effects of individual apoptotic pathways. This underscores the ongoing imperative to deepen our comprehension of apoptosis, particularly as we navigate the evolving landscape of immunotherapy. Copyright © 2025 by the author(s). |
| Keywords: | signal transduction; human cell; review; nonhuman; antineoplastic agents; antineoplastic agent; neoplasm; neoplasms; animal; animals; cell death; apoptosis; antineoplastic activity; drug effect; pathology; cancer inhibition; immunology; immunotherapy; drug therapy; therapy; targeted cancer therapy; bcl-2 family; molecularly targeted therapy; procedures; cancer; humans; human; venetoclax; malignant neoplasm; immunogenic cell death; bh3 mimetics; antiapoptotic activity |
| Journal Title: | Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease |
| Volume: | 20 |
| ISSN: | 1553-4006 |
| Publisher: | Annual Reviews |
| Date Published: | 2025-01-01 |
| Start Page: | 303 |
| End Page: | 328 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051222-115023 |
| PUBMED: | 39854189 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | The MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) is acknowledge in the PDF -- Corresponding authors is MSK author: Emily H. Cheng -- Source: Scopus |
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