Colorectal tumors use mitochondrial complex II to stockpile iron, but eliminating it causes cell death

MedicalXpress | Jun 17, 2026

Scientists know that colorectal cancer cells require large amounts of iron and that as cancer becomes more aggressive, the cells have even higher amounts of iron. Normal cells with high levels of iron would undergo a type of iron-related cell death called ferroptosis. But in cancer cells, the iron continues to accumulate well beyond normal levels without succumbing to expected cell death processes.