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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jun 15, 2023; 15(6): 979-987
Published online Jun 15, 2023. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i6.979
Emerging role of autophagy in colorectal cancer: Progress and prospects for clinical intervention
Tian-Fei Ma, Yue-Ren Fan, Yi-Hang Zhao, Bin Liu
Tian-Fei Ma, Yue-Ren Fan, Yi-Hang Zhao, Bin Liu, Department of Breast Internal Medicine Ⅱ, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, Liaoning Province, China
Author contributions: Ma TF and Liu B contributed equally to the conception and design; Ma TF and Fan YR searched the literature, drafted the manuscript and prepared the tables; Liu B and Zhao YH modified and revised the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tian-Fei Ma, MBBS, Doctor, Department of Breast Internal Medicine Ⅱ, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang 110042, Liaoning Province, China. lnskaxh6@163.com
Received: March 28, 2023
Peer-review started: March 28, 2023
First decision: April 11, 2023
Revised: April 17, 2023
Accepted: May 12, 2023
Article in press: May 12, 2023
Published online: June 15, 2023
Processing time: 78 Days and 20.2 Hours
Abstract

Autophagy is a physiological mechanism in which cells degrade themselves and quickly recover the degraded cell components. Recent studies have shown that autophagy plays an important role in the occurrence, development, treatment, and prognosis of colorectal cancer. In the early stages of colorectal cancer, autophagy can inhibit the production and development of tumors through multiple mechanisms such as maintaining DNA stability, inducing tumor death, and enhancing immune surveillance. However, as colorectal cancer progresses, autophagy may mediate tumor resistance, enhance tumor metabolism, and other pathways to promote tumor development. Therefore, intervening in autophagy at the appropriate time has broad clinical application prospects. This article summarizes the recent research progress of autophagy and colorectal cancer and is expected to provide new theoretical basis and reference for clinical treatment of colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Autophagy; Self-degradation; Colorectal cancer; Phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate; Immune cells

Core Tip: In the early stages of colon cancer, autophagy can inhibit the production and development of tumors through multiple mechanisms such as maintaining DNA stability, inducing tumor death, and enhancing immune surveillance. However, as colorectal cancer progresses, autophagy may mediate tumor resistance, enhance tumor metabolism, and other pathways to promote tumor development. Therefore, intervening in autophagy at the appropriate time has broad clinical application prospects.