Abstract
Due to the persistently high global incidence and mortality rates of cancer, developing novel therapeutic strategies is imperative. The replication factor C (RFC) family, a critical subset of DNA replication and repair, serves multifaceted roles in tumor progression. Despite its widely recognized importance, the pleiotropic mechanisms of the RFC family lack systematic illustration, particularly regarding each member specific contributions to cancer hallmarks. In the present review, mRNA expression of each RFC family member in pan‑cancer was profiled and the associations between their expression levels and tumor types evaluated. In addition, the effect of RFC expression on patients' survival across malignancies is assessed. Furthermore, the present review summarized current research on RFC family members in various malignancies with particular emphasis on the RFC‑like complexes, highlighting key findings and advancements in understanding their role in tumor biology. The signaling pathways associated with RFC family members are discussed and the molecular mechanisms elucidated. Finally, the clinical importance of RFC family members including prognosis, potential inhibitors and combination treatments are also discussed. The present review aimed to provide innovative perspectives for developing combinatorial molecular targeted therapies in the future.