With the continuous advances in molecular biotechnology, many new cell death methods have been discovered. Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death process that differs from apoptosis and autophagy in cell morphology and function. Compared with apoptosis and autophagy, pyroptosis is primarily mediated by intracellular inflammasome and gasdermin D of the gasdermin protein family and involves the release of numerous inflammatory factors. Pyroptosis has been found to be involved in the occurrence and development of infectious diseases and other diseases involving the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Recent studies have also reported the occurrence of pyroptosis in tumor cells. Accordingly, exploring its effect on tumors has become one of the research hotspots. Herein, recent research progress on pyroptosis is reviewed, especially its role in the development of gynecological tumors. As the pathogenesis of gynecological tumor is better understood, new targets have been introduced for the prevention and clinical treatment of gynecological tumors.
Keywords: cervical cancer; endometrial carcinoma; ovarian cancer; pyroptosis.