Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition

Cell death and its relations with cancer are subjects of significant misunderstanding within the scientific community, giving rise to numerous paradoxes. The prevailing perspective posits that oncogene activation diminishes cell death, resulting in accumulation of cells and the genesis of cancer. Th...

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Main Authors: Wang Rui-An, Li Zu-Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:Visualized Cancer Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://vcm.edpsciences.org/articles/vcm/full_html/2025/01/vcm20240011/vcm20240011.html
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author Wang Rui-An
Li Zu-Guo
author_facet Wang Rui-An
Li Zu-Guo
author_sort Wang Rui-An
collection DOAJ
description Cell death and its relations with cancer are subjects of significant misunderstanding within the scientific community, giving rise to numerous paradoxes. The prevailing perspective posits that oncogene activation diminishes cell death, resulting in accumulation of cells and the genesis of cancer. This article elucidates the difference between the pathological morphology of “necrosis” and the cellular demise concept of “necrosis” in cell biology, the influence of autophagy on cellular longevity, and the fundamentals of tumor suppression. It underscores the observation from pathology and literature that “resistance to apoptosis” is not an inherent trait of cancer. Rather than impeding, individual cell death actually fosters the progression of cancer as a whole. In fact, virtually all carcinogenic factors can trigger cellular apoptosis instead of extending cellular longevity. Contrary to conventional wisdom, genes promoting apoptosis exhibit carcinogenic properties, while those inhibiting apoptosis and cellular protective elements demonstrate anti-cancer effects. In essence, non-physiological cell death serves as a catalyst for tumorigenesis.
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spelling doaj-art-d601baa53bab484581907a8dacd1810e2025-08-20T02:26:03ZengEDP SciencesVisualized Cancer Medicine2740-42182025-01-016710.1051/vcm/2025006vcm20240011Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibitionWang Rui-An0Li Zu-Guo1Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Pathology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityCell death and its relations with cancer are subjects of significant misunderstanding within the scientific community, giving rise to numerous paradoxes. The prevailing perspective posits that oncogene activation diminishes cell death, resulting in accumulation of cells and the genesis of cancer. This article elucidates the difference between the pathological morphology of “necrosis” and the cellular demise concept of “necrosis” in cell biology, the influence of autophagy on cellular longevity, and the fundamentals of tumor suppression. It underscores the observation from pathology and literature that “resistance to apoptosis” is not an inherent trait of cancer. Rather than impeding, individual cell death actually fosters the progression of cancer as a whole. In fact, virtually all carcinogenic factors can trigger cellular apoptosis instead of extending cellular longevity. Contrary to conventional wisdom, genes promoting apoptosis exhibit carcinogenic properties, while those inhibiting apoptosis and cellular protective elements demonstrate anti-cancer effects. In essence, non-physiological cell death serves as a catalyst for tumorigenesis.https://vcm.edpsciences.org/articles/vcm/full_html/2025/01/vcm20240011/vcm20240011.htmlcell deathapoptosisnecrosiscancertumorigenesisoncogenetumor suppressor
spellingShingle Wang Rui-An
Li Zu-Guo
Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
Visualized Cancer Medicine
cell death
apoptosis
necrosis
cancer
tumorigenesis
oncogene
tumor suppressor
title Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
title_full Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
title_fullStr Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
title_short Revisiting the role of cell death in cancer – promotion rather than inhibition
title_sort revisiting the role of cell death in cancer promotion rather than inhibition
topic cell death
apoptosis
necrosis
cancer
tumorigenesis
oncogene
tumor suppressor
url https://vcm.edpsciences.org/articles/vcm/full_html/2025/01/vcm20240011/vcm20240011.html
work_keys_str_mv AT wangruian revisitingtheroleofcelldeathincancerpromotionratherthaninhibition
AT lizuguo revisitingtheroleofcelldeathincancerpromotionratherthaninhibition