Mitochondria and cancer therapy

Abstract Mitochondrial genome and functions are usually changed in cancers. Most classical anticancer agents interfere signaling pathways that influence mitochondrial upstream events and converge on these organelles to trigger cell death. Thus, drugs that directly target mitochondria constitute unique tools to bypass drug resistance. Metabolic reprogramming is a central feature of cancer cells that is intricately linked to mitochondria and provides unique opportunities for the development of drugs that target the Achilles’ heel of cancer. In this chapter, we will discuss the differences between cancer cells and healthy cells from mitochondrial perspective and evaluate the studies in which mitochondria have been targeted. For this purpose, mitochondria-related biochemical signaling pathways can be targeted in cancer cells using small molecules or based on the design of new mitochondriotropic formulations. In the following section, we discuss the use of small molecules to target the mitochondria of cancer cells.