Hormesis and cancer therapy

Abstract

Hormesis, the processes in which small doses of a stressor show stimulatory effects or protective responses on target cells, and high doses show the opposite effects, was described as associated with cancer therapy. Although the introduction of new techniques in cancer therapy improved the success rate and patients' survival, it is important to mainly focus on chemo and radiotherapy. Some examples illustrating the hormetic relationships with cancer therapy are described. The hormetic response in cancer therapy presents considerable complexity due to the wide variability in biological responses observed between different systems and conditions. This variability poses significant challenges for the practical implementation of hormesis in oncological settings. Nevertheless, its potential to optimize existing therapies positions this phenomenon as an area of great interest and relevance for future scientific investigations.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Chemotherapy; Hormesis; Ionizing radiation; Radiotherapy.