Effects of propofol on cancer development and chemotherapy: Potential mechanisms

Propofol (2, 6-diisopropylphenol) is the commonly used intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent. Accumulating evidence shows that propofol affects cancer development by direct and indirect ways. In this review, we will provide an overview of the effects of propofol on cancer development and chemotherapy, with a special focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. Propofol regulates both microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and serves as a regulator of different signaling pathways including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), and nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) pathways. In addition, propofol modulates host immune function. Possible correlation between propofol and cancer should be verified in further studies, including animal trials and prospective clinical studies.