Targeting Apoptosis as a Therapeutic Approach in Cancer

Abd-Elhamid, Rania A.; Nazmy, Maiiada H.; Fathy, Moustafa

doi:10.21608/mjmr.2022.221093

Targeting Apoptosis as a Therapeutic Approach in Cancer

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Minia, Egypt

² Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

³ Department of Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

10.21608/mjmr.2022.221093

Abstract

Cancer is a major health problem worldwide, it has been known in its ability in evading and escaping
apoptosis. All types of cancer cells gain resistance to apoptosis; they are prone to escape the normal
cellular growth and death pathways result in uncontrollable division and proliferation. Apoptosis is
programmed cell death or cell suicide; a process normally found in every eukaryotic cell. Damaged
DNA triggers the cell to activate apoptotic machinery to remove itself from the body. Apoptosis is an
extremely organized process: the cellular membranes are disrupted, the chromosomes are degraded,
the DNA breaks up into fragments, and the dying shrinking cell is engulfed by immune cells in a
clean and orderly manner. In this review, we will discuss the apoptotic pathways that can be used as a
therapeutic target in cancer.

Keywords