Molecular Milieu of Autophagy in Cervical Cancer and its Therapeutic Implications

Cervical cancer is a common death-causing cancer among women in developing countries. Majority of the cases are triggered by persistent infections with high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV16 and 18). Metastasis, disease relapse, and drug resistance are common among patients in advanced stages of cancer despite the available therapies. Consequently, new prospective targets are needed for this disease. Autophagy is professed to have implications in cervical cancer progression as well as cancer dormancy. This article reviews the role of autophagy in cervical cancer progression and the modulation of the autophagy pathway by HPV. Further, various therapeutic agents that target autophagy in cervical cancer are discussed.