Mitochondria are subcellular organelles that are a hub for key biological processes, such as bioenergetic, biosynthetic, and signaling functions. Mitochondria are implicated in all oncogenic processes, from malignant transformation to
metastasis and resistance to chemotherapeutics. The harsh
tumor environment constantly exposes
cancer cells to cytotoxic stressors, such as nutrient
starvation, low
oxygen, and oxidative stress. Excessive or prolonged exposure to these stressors can cause irreversible mitochondrial damage, leading to cell death. To survive hostile microenvironments that perturb mitochondrial function,
cancer cells activate a stress response to maintain
mitochondrial protein and genome integrity. This adaptive mechanism, which is closely linked to mitochondrial function, enables rapid adjustment and survival in harsh environmental conditions encountered during
tumor dissemination, thereby promoting
cancer progression. In this review, we describe how the mitochondria stress response contributes to the acquisition of typical malignant traits and highlight the potential of targeting the mitochondrial stress response as an anti-
cancer therapeutic strategy.