N-Acetyl Cysteine and Glutathione in Health and Cancer-Pharmacogenomics, Research, and Clinical Practice: Hypothesis and Review.

Context Glutathione (GSH) is a major intracellular antioxidant capable of scavenging free radicals and detoxifying electrophiles from endogenous and exogenous sources via the free thiol group. GSH plays an important role in a multiple cellular process, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Pharmacogenomics has demonstrated its important role as a key element in cellular health. Objective The study intended to examine the benefits of using GSH pharmacogenomics as a therapy to prevent side effects and interactions with antineoplastic agents in the diagnosis and treatment of malignancies. Design The research team performed a narrative review using the Google scholar and PubMed electronic databases. Conclusions In summary, the involvement of GSH in the carcinogenesis and drug resistance of tumor cells is clear and well understood, but further studies, aimed at understanding the GSH-driven molecular pathways, might be crucial to designing new therapeutic strategies to fight cancer progression, overcoming chemoresistance, using in combination with immunotherapies, and preventing or minimizing their negative side effects.