The importance of CDC27 in cancer: molecular pathology and clinical aspects

BACKGROUND: CDC27 is one of the core components of Anaphase Promoting complex/cyclosome. The main role of this protein is defined at cellular division to control cell cycle transitions. Here we review the molecular aspects that may affect CDC27 regulation from cell cycle and mitosis to cancer pathogenesis and prognosis. MAIN TEXT: It has been suggested that CDC27 may play either like a tumor suppressor gene or oncogene in different neoplasms. Divergent variations in CDC27 DNA sequence and alterations in transcription of CDC27 have been detected in different solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Elevated CDC27 expression level may increase cell proliferation, invasiveness and metastasis in some malignancies. It has been proposed that CDC27 upregulation may increase stemness in cancer stem cells. On the other hand, downregulation of CDC27 may increase the cancer cell survival, decrease radiosensitivity and increase chemoresistancy. In addition, CDC27 downregulation may stimulate efferocytosis and improve tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION: CDC27 dysregulation, either increased or decreased activity, may aggravate neoplasms. CDC27 may be suggested as a prognostic biomarker in different malignancies. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01860-9.