Targeting Autophagy in Cancer: Recent Advances and Future Directions

Autophagy, a multistep lysosomal degradation pathway that supports nutrient recycling and metabolic adaptation, has been implicated as a process that regulates cancer. Although autophagy induction may limit the development of tumors, evidence in mouse models demonstrates that autophagy inhibition can limit the growth of established tumors and improve response to cancer therapeutics. Certain cancer genotypes may be especially prone to autophagy inhibition. Different strategies for autophagy modulation may be needed depending on the cancer context. Here, we review new advances in the molecular control of autophagy, the role of selective autophagy in cancer, and the role of autophagy within the tumor…

• LF
  Lustgarten Foundation

  Awards: R01CA213775, R01CA126792, R01CA201849
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: R01GM095567
• NC
  National Cancer Institute

  Awards: P30 CA016520, R35CA232124, P01CA117969, R01CA188048, 1R01CA198015, SPORE P50 CA174523, R01CA157490, P01CA114046