Orientador: Ramon Kaneno / Resumo: Autophagy is a dynamic physiological macromolecular process, whereby intracellular substrates are exposed to lysosomes for degradation and recycling of damaged organelles, alleviating cellular stress conditions. Several studies have shown that autophagy plays a critical role in tumoral cell survival, performing a protective role by correcting carcinogenic damages. However, this physiological process can be subverted in some cells, leading to the promotion of carcinogenesis or allowing cell escape by increasing its resistance to chemotherapeutics. This review covers the basic mechanisms and genes involved in autophagy as well as the controversial findings on their role tumor cells; we also reviewed the processes by which drug resistance may be determined, for a better understanding of how autophagy works and how it can be handled as an antitumor therapeutic intervention. / Mestre