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Updated: Nov 11, 2025

Production and Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species ROS in Cancers
07:17

Production and Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species ROS in Cancers

Published on: November 21, 2011

70.6K

The double-edged roles of ROS in cancer prevention and therapy

Yawei Wang1,2, Huan Qi2, Yu Liu1,2

  • 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, China.

Theranostics
|March 23, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), crucial for cell signaling, have dual roles in cancer, promoting growth or death. Understanding redox biology is key to developing effective anticancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are signaling molecules from oxidative metabolism, linked to diseases.
  • Redox metabolism reprogramming causes abnormal ROS accumulation in cancer cells.
  • ROS exhibit dual roles in cancer progression, influencing tumor growth, metastasis, and apoptosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review ROS generation and scavenging mechanisms.
  • To discuss ROS-mediated signal transduction networks in cancer.
  • To explore ROS-targeted anticancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of notable studies on ROS.
  • Analysis of redox biology and cancer progression.
  • Synthesis of information on signal transduction and therapies.

Main Results:

  • ROS accumulation in cancer cells is linked to altered redox metabolism.
  • The effects of ROS in cancer are concentration, location, and duration-dependent.
  • ROS can drive malignant transformation or induce oxidative stress-mediated cell death.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive understanding of redox biology is essential for cancer treatment.
  • Targeting ROS pathways offers potential for novel anticancer strategies.
  • Further research into the sophisticated mechanisms of redox biology is imperative to conquer cancer.

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