Current knowledge of apoptosis and targeting apoptotic pathways for cancer therapy

The dual role of programmed cell death (PCD) has been detected in multicellular organisms, contributing to diseases such as cancer. This dissertation discusses current knowledge of apoptosis, the most studied form of PCD, and evaluates potential therapies targeting its pathways, which are crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and preventing irregular cell proliferation. In cancer, cells often evade apoptosis by inhibiting cascade activation, highlighting the importance of understanding the initiation phase of apoptosis. Based on the abnormalities in cancer pathogenesis along both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, which include death receptors (DRs), B cell lymphoma (BCL)-2 family of proteins, and the Second Mitochondria-derived Activator of Caspases (SMAC), researchers have developed cancer therapies that promote apoptosis based on their underlying mechanism. However, recent studies reveal that apoptotic cells may influence the tumour microenvironment (TME), implying the possibility of apoptosis to promote tumour progression. These findings indicate the need for future studies to develop more effective therapeutic strategies that target other types of PCD other than apoptosis.