Dysregulation of Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Mitophagy in Cancer Stem Cells: A Novel Approach For Cancer Therapy that Targets Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) linked to chemoresistance and disease recurrence are the major obstacles that presently stand in the way of the effectiveness of current cancer treatment choices, notwithstanding the potential of cancer medicine. Better adaptability allows CSCs to develop and survive under stress associated with the tumor microenvironment. This is mostly due to processes related to mitochondrial dynamics, including the fission–fusion cycle and mitophagy. In addition, mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis work together to preserve mitochondrial homeostasis in CSCs, which is essential for the cells’ growth and upkeep as well as the control of the metabolic transition from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation. In this review, we go over the various facets of mitophagy, mitochondrial homeostasis, and mitochondrial dynamics and how they affect the behavior of CSCs during the development of cancer. Furthermore, the effectiveness of employing anti-CSC medications to pharmacologically target these cellular processes when combined with the chemotherapeutic medications that are currently on the market increases the patient’s chance of surviving aggressive cancer kinds.