Autophagy regulation and its dual role in blood cancers: A novel target for therapeutic development (Review)

Autophagy, a physiological process in which cellular components are degraded by the lysosome for cell homeostasis, plays an important role in cell metabolism, including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and apoptosis. Recent studies indicate that autophagy serves as a survival mechanism by eliminating misfolded proteins and attenuating DNA damage. Autophagy can also suppress tumor growth, depending upon the cell context and functional status. Dysfunction of autophagy may be closely linked to the initiation and development of various diseases, including hematological malignancies. Mounting evidence highlights the dual role of autophagy in blood cancers through multifarious signal pathways. Therefore, strategies targeting autophagy will develop innovative therapeutic approaches for blood cancers, improve the efficacy of chemotherapy, and bring significant benefits for patients.