UNC5A encodes a netrin receptor that serves dual functions in neural development and cancer biology. Primarily, UNC5A functions as an axon guidance receptor that mediates repulsion of neuronal growth cones during nervous system development in response to netrin-1 1. The protein promotes neurite outgrowth and requires association with DCC receptor to trigger repulsive signaling 1. UNC5A also acts as a dependence receptor, inducing apoptosis when not bound to its netrin ligand 1. Beyond neural development, UNC5A functions as a tumor suppressor across multiple cancer types. It is a transcriptional target of p53 and regulates p53-dependent apoptosis through caspase-3 activation 2. In non-small cell lung cancer, UNC5A expression is epigenetically silenced through promoter hypermethylation, and its loss promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via PI3K/Akt pathway activation 3. Similarly, UNC5A functions as a tumor suppressor in bladder cancer, where low expression correlates with reduced response to DNA-damaging chemotherapy 4. In breast cancer, UNC5A restricts cellular plasticity and prevents luminal to basal subtype conversion, with its depletion leading to enhanced metastatic potential 5. Pan-cancer analyses reveal UNC5A as a potential biomarker associated with patient outcomes and immune infiltration patterns 6.