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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Modeling Chemotherapy Resistant Leukemia In Vitro
Published on: February 9, 2016
Hypoxia-Induced Resistance to Chemotherapy in Cancer
Lori M Minassian1, Tiziana Cotechini1, Erin Huitema1
1Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
A major barrier to the successful management of cancer is the development of resistance to therapy. Chemotherapy resistance can either be an intrinsic property of malignant cells developed prior to therapy, or acquired following exposure to anti-cancer drugs. Given the impact of drug resistance to the overall poor survival of cancer patients, there is an urgent need to better understand the molecular pathways regulating this malignant phenotype. In this chapter we describe some of the molecular pathways that contribute to drug resistance in cancer, the role of a microenvironment deficient in oxygen (hypoxia) in malignant progression, and how hypoxia can be a significant factor in the development of drug resistance. We conclude by proposing potential therapeutic approaches that take advantage of a hypoxic microenvironment to chemosensitize therapy-resistant tumours.
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Hypoxia
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...

