AUTHOR=Holm Tammy M. , Yeo Syn , Turner Kevin M. , Guan Jun-Lin 

TITLE=Targeting Autophagy in Thyroid Cancer: EMT, Apoptosis, and Cancer Stem Cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.821855

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2022.821855

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=Autophagy is a highly conserved recycling process through which cellular homeostasis is achieved and maintained.  With respect to cancer biology, autophagy acts as a double-edged sword supporting tumor cells during times of metabolic and therapeutic stress, while also inhibiting tumor development by promoting genomic stability.  Accumulating evidence suggests that autophagy plays a role in thyroid cancer, acting to promote tumor cell viability and metastatic disease vis-à-vis supporting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), preventing tumor cell death, and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs).   Several studies have demonstrated that autophagy inhibitors may augment the anti-cancer effects of known thyroid cancer therapies.  Autophagy modulation has become an attractive target for improving outcomes in thyroid cancer.  This review aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the current knowledge regarding the role of autophagy in thyroid cancer, focusing on the potential mechanism(s) through which inhibition of autophagy may enhance cancer therapy and outcomes.