Evidence mapPaperPMID 41614813Full record

ReviewCurrent issues in molecular biology2025

Cancer Reversion Therapy: Prospects, Progress and Future Directions.

Emmanuel O Oisakede, David B Olawade, Oluwakemi Jumoke Bello, Claret Chinenyenwa Analikwu, Eghosasere Egbon, Oluwaseun Fapohunda, Stergios Boussios

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Current issues in molecular biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Emmanuel O OisakedeDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.ORCID 0009-0000-5791-301X
David B OlawadeDepartment of Public Health, York St John University, London E14 2BA, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0188-9836
Oluwakemi Jumoke BelloThe Clinical Research Centre, the London Clinic, 20 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6BW, UK.
Claret Chinenyenwa AnalikwuDepartment of Microbiology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Hampshire SO16 6YD, UK.
Eghosasere EgbonDepartment of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Life Science Engineering, FH Technikum, 1200 Vienna, Austria.
Oluwaseun FapohundaDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0041, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6545-3471
Stergios BoussiosDepartment of Research and Innovation, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham ME7 5NY, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2512-6131

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer reversion therapy represents a paradigm shift in oncology, focusing on reprogramming malignant cells to a non-malignant state rather than destroying them. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence, emerging technologies, and future directions in this promising field. Cancer reversion is founded on key biological observations: somatic cell reprogramming, spontaneous cancer regression, and microenvironmental influences on malignant behavior. Current approaches include epigenetic reprogramming using HDAC inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors; microenvironmental modulation through extracellular matrix manipulation and vascular normalization; differentiation therapy exemplified by all-trans retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia; and targeting oncogene addiction as demonstrated in BCR-ABL-driven leukemias. Emerging technologies accelerating progress include single-cell analyses that reveal cancer heterogeneity and cellular state transitions; CRISPR-based approaches enabling precise genetic and epigenetic manipulation; patient-derived organoids that model tumor complexity; and artificial intelligence applications that identify novel reversion-inducing agents. Critical evaluation reveals that many reported "reversion" phenomena represent stimulus-dependent plasticity or transient growth arrest rather than stable phenotypic normalization. True cancer reversion requires durable, heritable phenotypic changes that persist after treatment withdrawal, with evidence of epigenetic consolidation and functional restoration. Despite promising advances, significant challenges remain: cancer cell plasticity facilitating therapeutic escape, difficulties in establishing stable reversion states, delivery challenges for solid tumors, and the need for combination approaches to address tumor heterogeneity. Future directions include integrated multi-omics analyses to comprehensively map cellular state transitions, studies of natural regression phenomena to identify reversion mechanisms, advanced nanodelivery systems for targeted therapy, and synthetic biology approaches creating intelligent therapeutic systems. By redirecting rather than destroying cancer cells, reversion therapy offers the potential for reduced toxicity and resistance, potentially transforming cancer from a deadly disease to a manageable condition.

Indexed as

cancer reversioncellular reprogrammingdifferentiation therapyepigenetic regulationtumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID41614813
PMCPMC12732300

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.