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Updated: May 9, 2026

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Production and Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cancers
Published on: November 21, 2011
15-Lipoxygenases in cancer: a double-edged sword?
Adi J Klil-Drori1, Amiram Ariel
1Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Rambam Health Care Campus, P.O. Box 9602, Haifa 31096, Israel.
Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators
|August 13, 2013
Summary
15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) plays a role in human cancers, influencing tumor suppression and promotion. This review examines 15-LOX
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) is a key enzyme in fatty acid metabolism.
- 15-LOX exhibits diverse tissue-specific expression patterns.
- Its involvement in cancer has been implicated in angiogenesis, inflammation, and metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the expression and function of 15-LOX and its orthologs in various human neoplasms.
- To discuss the dual role of 15-LOX as a tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressing agent.
- To contextualize 15-LOX's function within broader biological systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific publications.
- Analysis of evidence for 15-LOX expression in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
- Discussion of existing research on 15-LOX's biological activities.
Main Results:
- 15-LOX is expressed in a variety of cancers, including solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
- Evidence suggests 15-LOX can act as both a tumor promoter and a tumor suppressor.
- The precise impact of 15-LOX in cancer is complex and context-dependent.
Conclusions:
- 15-LOX is a significant factor in human cancer development and progression.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying 15-LOX's opposing roles in cancer.
- Understanding 15-LOX's function may lead to novel cancer therapeutic strategies.
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