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Autophagy in gastrointestinal cancers

Bo-Zong Shao1,2, Ning-Li Chai1, Yi Yao1

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.

Frontiers in Oncology
|September 12, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This review explores the complex role of autophagy, a cellular process, in gastrointestinal cancers. Understanding autophagy mechanisms may lead to new treatments for esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Gastrointestinal cancers exhibit high morbidity and mortality rates.
  • Current understanding of gastrointestinal cancer mechanisms and effective treatments remains limited.
  • Autophagy, a fundamental cellular catabolic process, is implicated in various diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce the biological features of autophagy.
  • To review and discuss the role of autophagy in esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers.
  • To provide insights into the mechanisms of gastrointestinal cancers and potential therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on autophagy and gastrointestinal cancers.
  • Analysis of biological characteristics of autophagy.
  • Discussion of autophagy's role in specific gastrointestinal cancer types.

Main Results:

  • The role of autophagy in gastrointestinal cancers is complex and not fully elucidated.
  • Autophagy influences various signaling pathways relevant to cancer development.
  • Specific roles of autophagy in esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers are detailed.

Conclusions:

  • Further research into autophagy is crucial for understanding gastrointestinal cancer pathogenesis.
  • Targeting autophagy pathways may offer novel therapeutic avenues for gastrointestinal cancers.
  • This review synthesizes current knowledge to guide future research and clinical applications.
Keywords:
autophagycolorectal canceresophageal cancergastric cancergastrointestinal cancer

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