Non-apoptotic cell death programs in cervical cancer with an emphasis on ferroptosis

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer, a pernicious gynecological malignancy, causes the mortality of hundreds of thousands of females worldwide. Despite a considerable decline in mortality, the surging incidence rate among younger women has raised serious concerns. Immortality is the most important characteristic of tumor cells, hence the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer cells pivotally requires compromising with cell death mechanisms.

Methods: The current study comprehensively reviewed the mechanisms of non-apoptotic cell death programs to provide possible disease management strategies.

Results: Comprehensive evidence has stated that focusing on necroptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy for disease management is associated with significant limitations such as insufficient understanding, contradictory functions, dependence on disease stage, and complexity of intracellular pathways. However, ferroptosis represents a predictable role in cervix carcinogenesis, and ferroptosis-related genes demonstrate a remarkable correlation with patient survival and clinical outcomes.

Conclusion: Ferroptosis may be an appropriate option for disease management strategies from predicting prognosis to treatment.

Keywords: Cancer; Cell death; Diagnosis; Infertility; Treatment.