Wnt/β-catenin mediated signaling pathways in cancer: recent advances, and applications in cancer therapy

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway closely linked to cancer development through various biological processes, including oncogenic transformation, genomic instability, cancer cell proliferation, stemness, metabolism, cell death, immune regulation, and metastasis. Notably, its activation plays a crucial role in drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Recent advances in drug development have identified several targeted inhibitors acting at key nodal points of this pathway, with some demonstrating synergistic efficacy when combined with immunotherapeutic agents. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of current understanding regarding the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in malignancy, emphasizing its multifaceted roles in tumor initiation, therapeutic resistance, and immune regulation. Additionally, we summarized the clinical performance of combination therapies targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in conjunction with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Although clinical development remains at a relatively early stage, pharmacological modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling offers considerable potential as a novel therapeutic paradigm in precision oncology.