Targeting ferroptosis as a vulnerability in cancer

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death triggered by the toxic build-up of lipid peroxides on cellular membranes. In recent years, ferroptosis has garnered enormous interest in cancer research communities, partly because it is a unique cell death modality that is mechanistically and morphologically different from other forms of cell death, such as apoptosis. Therefore, it holds tremendous potential for cancer therapy. In this Review, the authors summarize the current understanding of ferroptosis-inducing and ferroptosis defence mechanisms, dissect the roles and mechanisms of ferroptosis in tumour suppression and immunity, conceptualize the various vulnerabilities of cells ferroptosis, and explore therapeutic strategies for targeting ferroptosis in cancer.