Oxidative Stress and Cancer Therapy: Controlling Cancer Cells Using Reactive Oxygen Species

Area of Science:

• Oncology and Molecular Biology

Background:

• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a complex role in cancer development and progression.
• Low concentrations of ROS act as signaling molecules, promoting cancer cell proliferation, migration, and drug resistance.
• High concentrations of ROS induce oxidative stress, leading to biomolecular damage and cell death.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted relationship between ROS and cancer.
• To explore the mechanisms by which cancer cells manage ROS levels.
• To highlight therapeutic strategies targeting ROS in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating ROS in cancer.
• Analysis of cancer cell signaling pathways involved in ROS regulation (NRF2, NF-κB, PI3K/Akt).
• Examination of ROS-mediated cell death pathways (apoptosis, ferroptosis, autophagy).

Main Results:

• Cancer cells utilize pathways like NRF2, NF-κB, and PI3K/Akt to manage ROS levels.
• ROS can induce cancer cell death through apoptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy.
• The concentration-dependent effects of ROS present therapeutic opportunities.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the dual role of ROS in cancer is crucial for developing effective treatments.
• Targeting ROS-dependent pathways offers a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
• Exploiting ROS to induce cancer cell death warrants further investigation.