Published online Feb 15, 2023. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i2.225
Peer-review started: September 19, 2022
First decision: December 1, 2022
Revised: December 15, 2022
Accepted: January 9, 2023
Article in press: January 9, 2023
Published online: February 15, 2023
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second deadliest cancer and the third-most common malignancy in the world. Surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy have been widely used to treat CRC, but some patients still develop resistance to these treatments. Ferroptosis is a novel non-apoptotic form of cell death. It is an iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species and has been suggested to play a role in reversing resistance to anticancer drugs. This review summarizes recent advances in the prognostic role of ferroptosis in CRC and the mechanism of action in CRC.
Core Tip: The prognosis of patients with advanced colorectal cancer is still poor, largely due to resistance to anticancer drugs. Ferroptosis is a novel form of non-apoptotic cell death, mainly characterized by abnormal iron metabolism and the excessive accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown that ferroptosis can participate in the process of colorectal cancer (CRC) through the accumulation of lipid peroxides, inhibition of the System Xc−, disruption of the glutathione/glutathione peroxidase 4 balance, imbalance of iron homeostasis, and mediation of the P53 pathway. Induction of ferroptosis can reverse the resistance of anticancer drugs and improve the prognosis of CRC patients.