细胞自噬在食管癌研究中的进展

细胞自噬(autophagy)是一个在各种外界因素影响下，真核细胞通过溶酶体降解其内部受损的细胞器、错误折叠的蛋白质和侵入其内的病原体并产生可以重新参与生命活动的物质和能量的生物学过程，在维持机体内环境稳定等方面发挥着重要的作用。目前，我国食管癌患者的发病率和病死率均远高于世界平均水平，放化疗联合靶向药物治疗已逐渐应用于食管癌的临床治疗，而这些新兴治疗措施与细胞自噬有着一定的关系。该文就细胞自噬在食管癌发生发展中的作用和调控机制进行综述。

Research progress of autophagy in esophageal cancer

Autophagy is one of the biological processes that under the influence of various external factors, eukaryotic cells degrade damaged organelles, unfolded proteins and intracellular pathogens to lysosomes as well as provide the cells with nutrients and energy which can re-engage life activities. Autophagy plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis and so on. At present, the incidence and mortality rates of esophageal cancer in China are much higher than the world average. The radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined with targeted therapy have gradually gained wide application in the treatment of esophageal cancer, and these novel therapeutic measures are related to cell autophagy. The regulatory mechanism of autophagy in the development of esophageal cancer is introduced in this paper.