Novel mechanisms of chemoresistance by Fusobacterium nucleatum involve not so novel pathways of microRNAs and autophagy

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States. Even with available chemotherapies, a significant number of patients have recurrent disease, leading to the high incidence of morbidity and mortality. Understanding the mechanisms by which chemoresistance can occur is paramount to developing novel therapeutic approaches. Multiple past studies have highlighted the modes of resistance in cancer cells. The primary focus has been on molecular pathways and signaling cascades involving growth factors, tyrosine kinases and transcription factors that lead to tumorigenesis as well as chemoresistance (1,2). In the past few years, microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering-RNA (siRNA) have gained a signi cant role in cancer biology.