Oxidative stress response induced by chemotherapy in leukemia treatment

Oxidative stress (OS) has been linked to the etiology and development of leukemia as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals have been implicated in leukemogenesis. OS has beneficial and deleterious effects in the pathogenesis and progression of leukemia. High-dose chemotherapy, which is frequently used in leukemia treatment, is often accompanied by ROS-induced cytotoxicity. Thus, the utilization of chemotherapy in combination with antioxidants may attenuate leukemia progression, particularly for cases of refractory or relapsed neoplasms. The present review focuses on exploring the roles of OS in leukemogenesis and characterizing the associations between ROS and chemotherapy. Certain examples of treatment regimens wherein antioxidants are combined with chemotherapy are presented, in order to highlight the importance of antioxidant application in leukemia treatment, as well as the conflicting opinions regarding this method of therapy. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of OS generation will facilitate the elucidation of novel approaches to leukemia treatment.