Advances in studies on the effect of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation on radiotherapy sensitivity of tumors / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Radiotherapy is one of the most important methods in the treatment of malignant tumors. However, the decrease of radiosensitivity of tumor cells is the main reason affecting the efficacy of radiotherapy. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex biological process that confers several characteristics necessary for the progression of malignant tumors, such as tumor initiation, aggressiveness, transmissibility, and tolerance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, EMT can also be induced by radiation, which endows tumor cells with radiation resistance. Previous studies have shown that inhibition of EMT could enhance the radiosensitivity of tumor cells, but the overall understanding of the molecular mechanisms, key targets and pathways involved are still lacking. In this article, recent studies on the role of EMT in tumor radiation therapy were reviewed, focusing on the signaling pathway, EMT-induced transcription factors, aiming to deepen the understanding of the effect of EMT on the sensitivity of radiotherapy and provide ideas for improving the clinical therapeutic effect of radiotherapy.