Tumor hypoxia is a well-known factor negatively influencing outcome in many solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer. Hypoxic cells are more radio-resistant, more chemo-resistant and more prone to develop distant metastases than normoxic cells.~One of the mechanisms responsible for survival of these therapy-resistant hypoxic cells is (macro-)autophagy: a phenomenon in which cells provide themselves with energy (ATP) by digesting their own cell-organelles. Chloroquine is a potent blocker of autophagy and has been demonstrated in a lab setting to dramatically enhance tumor response to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and even anti-hormonal therapy.~Thus, chloroquine might very well be able to increase overall survival in small cell lung cancer by sensitizing cells resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Chloroquine might very well be able to increase overall survival in small cell lung cancer by sensitizing cells resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.