Autophagic Cell Death and Cancer Chemotherapeutics

Autophagy usually functions in cell-protective events. However, it may also be utilized as a cell-suicide mechanism, which is known as “autophagic cell death.” Autophagic cell death is frequently induced in cells that lack apoptotic machinery, such as p53-defi cient cancer cells. Therefore, small compounds that activate autophagic cell death are good candidates for anticancer chemotherapeutics to combat p53-defi cient cancers. This chapter focuses on recent advances in autophagy/ autophagic cell death and their relationship with tumorigenesis.