Research progress on radiobiological effects of ferroptosis in cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death discovered in recent years, which is iron-dependent cell death characterized by peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acid phospholipids. Recent studies have shown that radiotherapy can induce ferroptosis in cancer cells via ionizing radiation. Targeting ferroptosis plays a synergistic role in tumor suppression with radiation, which not only further deepens the connotation of radiobiology, but also provides a new perspective for tumor radiosensitization. This review systematically summarizes the occurrence and defense of ferroptosis, focusing on the key role of ferroptosis in the radiobiological effects of tumor cells and the potential application of ferroptosis in radiosensitization.