Figure 1.

Revisiting cancer treatment modalities. (a) Conventional therapeutic strategies can eliminate a subpopulation of proliferating cancer cell, but induce senescence in other cells allowing them to evade eradication. Subsequently, these cells can lead to tumor relapse, upon escape from senescence. (b) Revisiting conventional therapeutic strategies to include also senolytic agents may be beneficial, since cells undergoing therapy-induced senescence are also eradicated, thus preventing tumor relapse.

Alt-text: A schematic presentation showing that chemotherapeutic treatment triggers tumor cell death and senescence induction. If these therapy-induced senescent cells are left untreated, then they constitute a source of recurrence. Thus, combinatorial treatment with senolytic drugs eliminates also the remaining senescent cells, resulting in complete tumor eradication.