Engulfment and cannibalism drive persistence of chemotherapy-treated tumor cells: can they be targeted?

Abstract

The breast tumors that are most difficult to eradicate with chemotherapy have wild-type TP53 and preferentially enter senescence after treatment. One factor contributing to the persistence of senescent cells in residual disease: acquisition of a novel phenotype that allows cannibalism of entire cells and engulfment of other substrates.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• chemotherapy
• survival
• senescence
• phagocytosis
• engulfment
• cannibalism
• sasp