Targeting ferroptosis at the intersection of cancer and inflammation

Ferroptosis is a regulated form of necrotic cell death that is relevant to both degenerative disease and cancer and is closely associated with inflammation. Pleiotropic physiological processes, such as polyunsaturated fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism, modulate the sensitivity to ferroptosis, which is triggered by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. The regulation of ferroptosis is incompletely understood, as are the mechanisms by which oxidized phospholipids trigger cell death. Small molecules have been shown to interfere with ferroptosis, thereby opening the door to exciting new approaches for pharmacological intervention.