Insights Into the Molecular Mechanisms and Use of Cancer Dormancy and Reawakening
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v11i1.2941Keywords:
Dormancy, Cancer relapse, Biomarkers , Reawakening , Exiting dormancyAbstract
The ability of disseminated cancer cells from primary tumors to persist in a quiescent state for extended periods of years or even decades is a phenomenon known as cancer dormancy. This non-proliferative state represents a critical clinical challenge and constitutes a major barrier to therapy. Dormancy is often followed by stochastic relapses, or "reawakening," leading to metastasis of the primary cancer after its successful treatment. This narrative review synthesizes our current understanding of the complex and dynamic molecular mechanisms that govern dormancy and the eventual outgrowth of dormant cancer cells. We explore both cell-intrinsic factors and the microenvironmental determinants of establishing and maintaining dormant cancer cells. Crucially, this review translates these mechanistic insights into therapeutic strategies, highlighting the latest advances in targeting dormant cancer cells, preventing their reawakening, and the challenges of developing useful predictive biomarkers. By integrating our knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of dormancy, we aim to provide a roadmap for therapeutic interventions that can lead to a permanent state of cancer suppression.
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