 Regulated cell death, RCD, is essential for normal development and tissue homeostasis. It is controlled by a series of evolutionally conserved pathways, which can be further divided into five main categories, apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, feroptosis, and paenoptosis. These pathways have distinct characteristics, but recent research suggests that they can interact and overlap. This phenomenon is known as paenoptosis, and it is believed to play a role in cancer development and progression. Current treatments targeting specific RCD pathways have shown promise in treating certain cancers, while others are still being investigated. This article was authored by Lin Jinggong, Dong Huang, Yu Junxia, and others.