Molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in the treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is a critical threat to women around the globe. Current radio- and chemotherapy regimens can induce multiple drug-resistant effects, e.g., anti-apoptosis, anti-pyroptosis, and anti-necroptosis, causing a poor clinical response to therapy. Ferroptosis is a newly programmed cell death characterized by iron overload, the massive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and membrane lipid peroxidation. The occurrence of ferroptosis results from an imbalance between peroxidation mechanisms (execution systems) and anti- oxidation mechanisms (defense systems), including the iron metabolism pathway, amino acid metabolism pathway, and lipid metabolism pathway. Recently, the vital role of ferroptosis in various diseases, including cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and Alzheimer's, has been identified. Specifically, triggering ferroptosis in breast cancer cells can inhibit their proliferation and invasion, and improve the chemoradiotherapy sensitivity, which makes it a potential strategy for breast cancer therapy. This review summarizes the definition and features of ferroptosis, as well as its role in the treatment of breast cancer, aimed at providing a theoretical basis for future drug development.