Chronic autophagy is a cellular adaptation to tumor acidic pH microenvironments.

Tumor cell survival relies upon adaptation to the acidic conditions of the tumor microenvironment. To investigate potential acidosis survival mechanisms, we examined the effect of low pH (6.7) on human breast carcinoma cells.

Drug resistance and cellular adaptation to tumor acidic pH microenvironment.

Despite advances in developing novel therapeutic strategies, a major factor underlying cancer related death remains resistance to therapy. In addition to biochemical resistance, mediated by xenobiotic transporters or binding site mutations, resistance can be physiological, emerging as a consequence of the tumor's physical microenvironment. This review focuses on extracellular acidosis, an end result of high glycolytic flux and poor vascular perfusion.