Mitochondrial Pathways in Cisplatin Resistance: A New Perspective on Tumor Therapy Challenges

Despite its high toxicity and the frequent recurrence of patients due to drug resistance, cisplatin remains one of the most effective and widely used chemotherapeutic agents for treating various solid tumors. Therefore, avoiding cisplatin resistance remains a primary goal in clinical treatment. Increasing evidence highlights the importance of mitochondria in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance. This review summarizes current understandings of the role of mitochondria in cisplatin resistance and recent developments in this field, including mitochondrial DNA alterations, increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), and changes in mitochondrial dynamics. It aims to provide new insights into the mechanisms of cisplatin resistance and identify novel therapeutic targets for overcoming cisplatin resistance in tumors.