Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Curcumin Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry: Potential Applications in Cancer Treatment

Curcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in the rhizome of Curcuma plants, particularly in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), exhibits a broad range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Curcumin has demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth, arousing interest for its potential in treating various cancers, such as breast, lung, prostate, and brain cancers. However, the clinical application of curcumin is limited due to its low chemical stability, poor water solubility, and low bioavailability. In response to these challenges, structural modifications of curcumin have been explored to improve its pharmacological properties, including enhanced anticancer selectivity index and bioavailability. This review highlights promising chemical modifications of curcumin that could lead to the development of more effective anticancer therapies. By functionalizing the parent curcumin molecule, researchers aim to create more stable and bioavailable compounds with enhanced therapeutic potential, making curcumin derivatives promising candidates for medical applications.

Exploiting the molecular subtypes and genetic landscape in pancreatic cancer: the quest to find effective drugs

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very lethal disease that typically presents at an advanced stage and is non-compliant with most treatments. Recent technologies have helped delineate associated molecular subtypes and genetic variations yielding important insights into the pathophysiology of this disease and having implications for the identification of new therapeutic targets. Drug repurposing has been evaluated as a new paradigm in oncology to accelerate the application of approved or failed target-specific molecules for the treatment of cancer patients. This review focuses on the impact of molecular subtypes on key genomic alterations in PDAC, and the progress made thus far. Importantly, these alterations are discussed in light of the potential role of drug repurposing in PDAC.

The Role of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods in Skin Cancer: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

Skin cancer is a prevalent type of cancer worldwide and has a high growth rate compared to other diseases. Although modern targeted therapies have improved the management of cutaneous neoplasms, there is an urgent requirement for a safer, more affordable, and effective chemoprevention and treatment strategy for skin cancer. Nutraceuticals, which are natural substances derived from food, have emerged as a potential alternative or adjunctive treatment option. In this review, we explore the current evidence on the use of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols (curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, apigenin, resveratrol, and genistein) for the treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), as well as in their prevention. We discuss the mechanisms of action of the aforementioned nutraceuticals and their probable therapeutic benefits in skin cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, apigenin, resveratrol, and genistein have several properties, among which are anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor, which can help to prevent and treat skin cancer. However, their effectiveness is limited due to poor bioavailability. Nanoparticles and other delivery systems can improve their absorption and targeting. More research is needed to evaluate their safety and effectiveness as a natural approach to skin cancer prevention and treatment. These compounds should not replace conventional cancer treatments, but may be used as complementary therapy under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Natural products in digestive tract tumors metabolism: Functional and application prospects

Digestive tract diseases are presently the hotspot of clinical diagnosis and treatment, and the incidence of digestive tract tumor is increasing annually. Surgery remains the main therapeutic schedule for digestive tract tumor. Though benefits were brought by neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a part of patients lose the chance of surgery because of late detection or inappropriate intervention. Therefore, the treatment of inoperable patients has become an urgent need. At the same time, tumor metabolism is an extremely complex and diverse process. Natural products are confirmed effective to inhibit the development of tumors in vitro and in vitro. There are many kinds of natural products and their functions remain not clear. However, some natural products such as polyphenols have been proven to have definite anti-cancer effects, and some terpenoids have definite anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-tumor, and other effects. Therefore, the anti-tumor characteristics of natural products should arouse our high attention. Although there are many obstacles to study the activities of natural products in tumor, including the difficulty in detection or distinguishing each component due to their low levels in tumor tissue, etc., the emergence of highly sensitive and locatable spatial metabolomics make the research and application of natural products a big step forward. In this review, natural products such as phenols, terpenoids and biotinoids were summarized to further discuss the development and therapeutic properties of natural metabolites on digestive tract tumors.

Therapeutic effect of turmeric on radiodermatitis: A systematic review

Radiodermatitis (RD) occurs in 95% of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. At present, there is no effective treatment for the management of this complication of radiotherapy. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a polyphenolic and biologically active natural compound with various pharmacological functions. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of curcumin supplementation for reducing RD severity. This review complied with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Cochrane library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases. A total of seven studies comprising 473 cases and 552 controls were included in this review. Four studies demonstrated that curcumin supplementation had a beneficial effect on RD intensity. These data provide evidence for the potential clinical use of curcumin in supportive cancer care. Further large prospective and well-designed trials are warranted to exactly determine the "real effective extract, supplemental form and dose of curcumin" for RD prevention and treatment of patients receiving radiotherapy.

Integrative Oncology's 30-Year Anniversary: What Have We Achieved? A North American Naturopathic Oncology Perspective

In 1991 the U.S. Congress mandated that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) form the Office of Alternative Medicine to study alternative medical therapies, especially in oncology care. Shortly after, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) created its own division of complementary and alternative medicine (Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine). At the genesis of the field 30 years ago, what were we hoping to see accomplished by now? In this article we take a look back at milestones, shortfalls and future directions. Exciting opportunities exist to direct our established subspeciality's future directions and we have made valuable advances the field of integrative oncology over the last 30 years: 1, IV high dose ascorbate has clinical research-based applications when used concurrently with some chemotherapeutic agents. 2. Whole body, extracorporeal and locoregional hyperthermia are being applied in treating solid tumors, including brain tumors. 3. PDL-1 tumor microenvironment testing and PDL-1 inhibitor immunotherapies have surprisingly excellent outcomes in a subgroup of cancer patients. 4. Tumor DNA sequencing (resected tumor and circulating tumor DNA in blood) has led to personalized precision targeted treatments. 5. Glucose metabolism's role in cancer progression is better understood and better therapies are available (e.g., intermittent fasting, metformin). 6. Medical cannabis has a larger role in treating chemotherapy-related side effects and shows promise for anti-proliferative effects. 8. Greater understanding has been gained of the interdependence and mutual regulation of processes in psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI). The burgeoning field of PNEI has exponentially expanded the discussion of tumorigenesis, apoptosis, and introduced to the field the investigation of more holistic approaches to immune regulation and cancer care. 8. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is gaining traction especially for cancer patients facing demoralization, existential and spiritual distress, anxiety, depression and trauma related to the diagnosis and treatment of their cancer. 9. Spiritual health of cancer patients is more commonly addressed and measurable with an NIH validated scale. 10. Mind-Body therapies are efficacious for reducing cancer-related distress and are included in many cancer care programs.

The research progress of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease of the pancreas, caused by multiple factors and accompanied by irreversible impairment of pancreatic internal and external secretory functions. Pathologically, atrophy of the pancreatic acini, tissue fibrosis or calcification, focal edema, inflammation, and necrosis are observed. Clinical manifestations include recurrent or persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea, emaciation, and diabetes. In addition, CP is prone to develop into pancreatic cancer(PC) due to persistent inflammation and fibrosis. The disease course is prolonged and the clinical prognosis is poor. Currently, clinical treatment of CP is still based on symptomatic treatment and there is a lack of effective etiological treatment. Encouragingly, experiments have shown that a variety of active substances have great potential in the etiological treatment of chronic pancreatitis. In this paper, we will review the pathogenesis of CP, as well as the research progress on anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies, which will provide new ideas for the development of subsequent clinical studies and formulation of effective treatment programs, and help prevent CP from developing into pancreatic cancer and reduce the prevalence of PC as much as possible.

Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient Nutritional Management: From Specific Needs to Novel Epigenetic Dietary Approaches

Nutritional habits impinge on the health of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, contributing to GI disorder progression. GI cancer is a widespread and aggressive tumor sensitive to nutritional changes. Indeed, specific nutritional expedients can be adopted to prevent GI cancer onset and to slow down disease activity. Moreover, the patient’s nutritional status impacts prognosis, quality of life, and chemotherapy tolerance. These patients encounter the highest frequency of malnourishment risk, a condition that can progressively evolve into cachexia. Clinical studies dealing with this topic stressed the importance of nutritional counseling and put under the spotlight nutrient delivery, the type of nutrient supplementation, and timing for the start of nutritional management. A medical practitioner well-prepared on the topic of nutrition and cancer should operate in the clinical team dedicated to these oncological patients. This specific expertise needs to be implemented as soon as possible to adopt nutritional interventions and establish a proper patient-tailored dietary regimen. The nutritional gap closure should be prompt during anticancer treatment to stabilize weight loss, improve treatment tolerability, and ameliorate survival rate. Recently, novel nutritional approaches were investigated to target the bidirectional link between epigenetics and metabolism, whose alteration supports the onset, progression, and therapeutic response of GI cancer patients.

Curcumin at Low Doses Potentiates and at High Doses Inhibits ABT-737-Induced Platelet Apoptosis

Curcumin is a natural bioactive component derived from the turmeric plant Curcuma longa, which exhibits a range of beneficial activities on human cells. Previously, an inhibitory effect of curcumin on platelets was demonstrated. However, it is unknown whether this inhibitory effect is due to platelet apoptosis or procoagulant platelet formation. In this study, curcumin did not activate caspase 3-dependent apoptosis of human platelets, but rather induced the formation of procoagulant platelets. Interestingly, curcumin at low concentration (5 µM) potentiated, and at high concentration (50 µM) inhibited ABT-737-induced platelet apoptosis, which was accompanied by inhibition of ABT-737-mediated thrombin generation. Platelet viability was not affected by curcumin at low concentration and was reduced by 17% at high concentration. Furthermore, curcumin-induced autophagy in human platelets via increased translocation of LC3I to LC3II, which was associated with activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) kinase and inhibition of protein kinase B activity. Because curcumin inhibits P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in cancer cells and contributes to overcoming multidrug resistance, we showed that curcumin similarly inhibited platelet P-gp activity. Our results revealed that the platelet inhibitory effect of curcumin is mediated by complex processes, including procoagulant platelet formation. Thus, curcumin may protect against or enhance caspase-dependent apoptosis in platelets under certain conditions.

Pancreatic Cancer (PDAC): Introduction of Evidence-Based Complementary Measures into Integrative Clinical Management

The most common form of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which comprises some 85% of all cases. Currently, this is the fourth highest cause of cancer mortality worldwide and its incidence is rising steeply. Commonly applied clinical therapies offer limited chance of a lasting cure and the five-year survival rate is one of the lowest of the commonly occurring cancers. This review cultivates the hypothesis that the best management of PDAC would be possible by integrating 'western' clinical medicine with evidence-based complementary measures. Protecting the liver, where PDAC frequently first spreads, is also given some consideration. Overall, the complementary measures are divided into three groups: dietary factors, nutraceutical agents and lifestyle. In turn, dietary factors are considered as general conditioners, multi-factorial foodstuffs and specific compounds. The general conditioners are alkalinity, low-glycemic index and low-cholesterol. The multi-factorial foodstuffs comprise red meat, fish, fruit/vegetables, dairy, honey and coffee. The available evidence for the beneficial effects of the specific dietary and nutraceutical agents was considered at four levels (in order of prominence): clinical trials, meta-analyses, in vivo tests and in vitro studies. Thus, 9 specific agents were identified (6 dietary and 3 nutraceutical) as acceptable for integration with gemcitabine chemotherapy, the first-line treatment for pancreatic cancer. The specific dietary agents were the following: Vitamins A, C, D and E, genistein and curcumin. As nutraceutical compounds, propolis, triptolide and cannabidiol were accepted. The 9 complementary agents were sub-grouped into two with reference to the main 'hallmarks of cancer'. Lifestyle factors covered obesity, diabetes, smoking, alcohol and exercise. An integrative treatment regimen was devised for the management of PDAC patients. This involved combining first-line gemcitabine chemotherapy with the two sub-groups of complementary agents alternately in weekly cycles. The review concludes that integrated management currently offers the best patient outcome. Opportunities to be investigated in the future include emerging modalities, precision medicine, the nerve input to tumors and, importantly, clinical trials.

Topically applicated curcumin/gelatin-blended nanofibrous mat inhibits pancreatic adenocarcinoma by increasing ROS production and endoplasmic reticulum stress mediated apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most fatal malignancies. Surgical resection supplemented by chemotherapy remains the major therapeutic regimen, but with unavoidable resistance and systemic toxic reaction. Curcumin is a known safe natural compound that can effectively eliminate pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in vitro, making it a promising candidate for substitution in subsequent chemotherapy. However, due to its extremely low bioavailability caused by its insolubility and circular elimination, curcumin had an unexpectedly modest therapeutic effect in clinical trials.

RESULTS

Here, we electrospun curcumin/gelatin-blended nanofibrous mat to largely improve curcumin's bioavailability by local controlled-release. With characterization by scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and high-performance liquid chromatography, it was revealed that curcumin was uniformly dispersed in the fiber of the mats with nanoscopic dimensions and could be continuously released into the surrounding medium for days. The cancer inhibitory effects of nano-curcumin and underlying mechanisms were further explored by assays using pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell and experiments using xenograft model. The results showed the released nano-curcumin could effectively inhibit pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell proliferation not only in vitro, but more importantly in vivo. This cytotoxic effect of nano-curcumin against pancreatic adenocarcinoma was achieved through provoking the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and activating endoplasmic reticulum stress, which leads to enhanced cell apoptosis via decreased phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically, curcumin/gelatin-blended nanofibrous mat could be a promising, secure, efficient and affordable substitutional agent for the elimination of residual cancer cells after tumor resection. Moreover, our strategy to obtain curcumin released from nanofibrous mat may provide a universally applicable approach for the study of the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of other potential medicines with low bioavailability.

Curcumin enhances anti‑cancer efficacy of either gemcitabine or docetaxel on pancreatic cancer cells

Curcumin is a natural compound extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa), which has been reported to be a promising anti‑cancer drug in various human cancers. However, the effects of combination treatment of curcumin with gemcitabine or docetaxel on pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In the present study, the combinatory effects of curcumin with either gemcitabine or docetaxel on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration as well as invasion of PC cells were investigated. Calcusyn software was used to determine whether curcumin has is synergistic with gemcitabine or docetaxel. Combination index values from combinational use were all lower than 1, indicating the synergism of curcumin with gemcitabine or docetaxel on PC cells in vitro. EdU assay showed that curcumin could enhance the ability of gemcitabine or docetaxel to inhibit the proliferation of PC cells. Furthermore, the results from transmission electron microscope, DAPI staining experiments and western blot analysis revealed that curcumin may trigger apoptosis of PC cells via PARP/caspase‑3 signaling pathway and reinforced pro‑apoptotic ability of either gemcitabine or docetaxel. In addition, curcumin exhibited marked suppressive ability on metastasis of PC cells by wound healing and matrigel‑transwell assay. Mechanistically, upregulation of TIMP1/TIMP2 with concomitant downregulation of MMP2/MMP9/N‑cadherin proteins may be involved in this process. In conclusion, curcumin showed synergistic anti‑cancer effects with either gemcitabine or docetaxel on PC cells.

Overcoming cancer therapeutic bottleneck by drug repurposing

Ever present hurdles for the discovery of new drugs for cancer therapy have necessitated the development of the alternative strategy of drug repurposing, the development of old drugs for new therapeutic purposes. This strategy with a cost-effective way offers a rare opportunity for the treatment of human neoplastic disease, facilitating rapid clinical translation. With an increased understanding of the hallmarks of cancer and the development of various data-driven approaches, drug repurposing further promotes the holistic productivity of drug discovery and reasonably focuses on target-defined antineoplastic compounds. The "treasure trove" of non-oncology drugs should not be ignored since they could target not only known but also hitherto unknown vulnerabilities of cancer. Indeed, different from targeted drugs, these old generic drugs, usually used in a multi-target strategy may bring benefit to patients. In this review, aiming to demonstrate the full potential of drug repurposing, we present various promising repurposed non-oncology drugs for clinical cancer management and classify these candidates into their proposed administration for either mono- or drug combination therapy. We also summarize approaches used for drug repurposing and discuss the main barriers to its uptake.

Characterization of curcumin metabolites in rats by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Curcumin is a major constituent of Curcuma longa L. and is a naturally bio-active diketone. Structural changes in curcumin have been shown to result in different biological effects. The present study aims to investigate curcumin metabolites in rat plasma, bile, urine, and feces after administration of a single oral dose of curcumin (170 mg/kg).

METHODS

After oral administration of curcumin, the plasma, bile, feces, and urine of the rats were collected for a certain period of time, and then subjected to a series of pretreatments. The metabolic pathway of curcumin in vivo was investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) combined with electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS).

RESULTS

Twelve metabolites were identified and divided into two groups: curcumin metabolites of phase Ι metabolism (M01-M08), curcumin metabolites of phase ΙΙ metabolism (M09-M12), and metabolites M02, M03 and M04 were reported for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

Results showed that curcumin metabolism can help explain the mechanism of its pharmacological effects, and that UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS can serve as an important analytical platform to gather the metabolic profile of curcumin.

Phytosomal Curcumin Elicits Anti-tumor Properties Through Suppression of Angiogenesis, Cell Proliferation and Induction of Oxidative Stress in Colorectal Cancer

Background:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated mortality in the world. Anti-tumor effect of curcumin has been shown in different cancers; however, the therapeutic potential of novel phytosomal curcumin, as well as the underlying molecular mechanism in CRC, has not yet been explored.

Methods:

The anti-proliferative, anti-migratory and apoptotic activity of phytosomal curcumin in CT26 cells was assessed by MTT assay, wound healing assay and Flow cytometry, respectively. Phytosomal curcumin was also tested for its in-vivo activity in a xenograft mouse model of CRC. In addition, oxidant/antioxidant activity was examined by DCFH-DA assay in vitro, measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), Thiol and superoxidedismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity and also evaluation of expression levels of Nrf2 and GCLM by qRT-PCR in tumor tissues. In addition, the effect of phytosomal curcumin on angiogenesis was assessed by the measurement of VEGF-A and VEGFR-1 and VEGF signaling regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor tissue.

Results:

Phytosomal curcumin exerts anti-proliferative, anti-migratory and apoptotic activity in-vitro. It also decreases tumor growth and augmented 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) anti-tumor effect in-vivo. In addition, our data showed that induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of angiogenesis through modulation of VEGF signaling regulatory miRNAs might be underlying mechanisms by which phytosomal curcumin exerted its antitumor effect.

Conclusion:

Our data confirmed this notion that phytosomal curcumin administrates anticancer effects and can be used as a complementary treatment in clinical settings.

Phytosomal curcumin inhibits tumor growth in colitis-associated colorectal cancer

Colorectal-cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of death due to cancer, supporting the need for identification of novel anticancer drug to improve the efficacy of current-therapy. There is growing bodies of data showing the antitumor-activity of curcumin, although it is associated with low absorption. The aim of current study was explored the therapeutic-potential of novel phytosomal curcumin as well as its application in combination with 5-Flurouracil (5-FU) in a mouse-model of colitis-associated colon-cancer. The anti-proliferative-activity of phytosomal curcumin was assessed in 2- and 3-dimensional cell-culture-models as well as in a mouse-model of colitis-associated colon-cancer. The expression-levels of CyclinD1, beclin, E-cadherin, and p-GSK3a/b were investigated by qRT-PCR and/or Western-blotting. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory of this agent by pathological-evaluation and disease-activity-index (DAI). Moreover, oxidant/antioxidant activity was examined by malondialdehyde (MDA), total-thiols (T-SH), superoxide-dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity parameters. Our data showed that phytosomal curcumin and its combination with 5-FU inhibited cell growth and invasive behavior of CRC cells through modulation of Wnt-pathway and E-cadherin. Combination of curcumin with 5-FU dramatically reduced the tumor-number and tumor-size in both distal and middle parts of colon in colitis-associated colon cancer followed by reduction in DAI. Also, curcumin suppressed the colonic inflammation and notably recovered the increased levels of MDA, decreased thiol level and reduced activity of CAT. We demonstrated the antitumor-activity of novel form of curcumin in CRC, supporting further investigations on the therapeutic-potential of this approach in colorectal-cancer.

Effects of curcumin on NF-κB, AP-1, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in hepatitis B virus infection

Curcumin is a yellow-orange powder derived from the Curcuma longa plant. Curcumin has been used extensively in traditional medicine for centuries. This component is non-toxic and shown different therapeutic properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasites, and anti-oxidant. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small DNA member of the genus Orthohepadnavirus (Hepadnaviridae family) which is a highly contagious blood-borne viral pathogen. HBV infection is a major public health problem with 2 billion people infected throughout the world and 350 million suffering from chronic HBV infection. Increasing evidence indicated that curcumin as a natural product could be employed in the treatment of HBV patients. It has been showed that curcumin exerts its therapeutic effects on HBV patients via targeting a variety of cellular and molecular pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, Ap1, STAT3, MAPK, and NF-κB signaling. Here, we summarized the therapeutic effects of curcumin on patients who infected with HBV. Moreover, we highlighted main signaling pathways (eg, NF-κB, AP1, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling) which affected by curcumin in HBV infections.

Genetic variation in the DNA repair pathway as a potential determinant of response to platinum-based chemotherapy in breast cancer

Platinum-based chemotherapy is often used as a first-line treatment for patient with breast cancer. Platinum agents bind to DNA, forming adducts that contain intra and inter-strand crosslinks. It is possible that genetic variations of the DNA repair pathways may affect the activity, or efficacy of platinum, and hence resistance to platinum chemotherapy may be related to these genetic variants. We have summarized the known variants in the DNA repair pathway that have been reported to predict the response to platinum-based therapy in breast cancer.

Toll like receptor signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer

Toll like receptor (TLR) signaling is involved in activating innate and adaptive immune responses and plays a critical role in inflammation-induced diseases such as colorectal cancer (CRC). Dysregulation of this signaling pathway can result in disturbance of epithelial layer hemostasis, chronic inflammatory, excessive repair responses, and development of CRC. There is now substantial evidence for the benefit of targeting of this pathway in cancer treatment, and several agents have been approved, such as BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guérin), MPL (monophosphoryl lipid A) and imiquimod. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the different functions of TLRs on tumor cells and their application in cancer therapy with particular emphasis on recent preclinical and clinical research in treatment of CRC.

The 9p21 locus: A potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker in breast cancer

Breast cancer is an important cause of cancer related mortality in women. Despite extensive efforts to identify valid biomarkers for risk stratification, there are relatively few with proven clinical utility. It is recognized that genetic factors play a major role in determining susceptibility to breast cancer. Recent genome-wide-association-studies and gene expression analysis have demonstrated that a locus on chromosome 9p21, which contains three genes; CDKN2B (encoding p15ink4b), CDKN2A (encoding p16ink4a and p14ARF) and the 3' end of CDKN2BAS (an antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus [ANRIL]) are associated with an increased risk of this malignancy. ANRIL has a post transcriptional modulatory activity, which has been shown to perturb the expression of nearby genes and may play an important role in coordinating tissue remodeling through regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, aging, extra-cellular matrix remodeling, and inflammatory response. However, the role of ANRIL is not well understood in breast cancer. Hypermethylation of the p14^ARF and p16^INK4a genes is found in some tumor types. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to confirm the clinical utility of these putative markers in risk stratification, or assessing prognosis. In this review, we have summarized the prognostic and therapeutic potential of the p14^ARF and p16^INK4a genes in patients with breast cancer.

Pectolinarigenin Suppresses Pancreatic Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibiting STAT3 Signaling

Pancreatic cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths with extremely poor prognosis. Thus, novel and effective therapies need to be developed to improve the poor survival rates of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Pectolinarigenin, a flavonoids compound, has been shown to possess numerous biologic activities such as anti-inflammation and anti-cancer. However, the function and mechanism of pectolinarigenin in pancreatic cancer are still not well understood. We evaluated the antitumor effects of pectolinarigenin, an active component of a medicinal plant. Pectolinarigenin exerted a strong antitumor effect in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Colony formation assay and wound healing assay indicated that pectolinarigenin inhibited cell viability and cell migration. Treatment with pectolinarigenin induced apoptosis and decreased phosphorylation of STAT3. Pectolinarigenin modulates the STAT3 signaling module, thereby inducing cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells. This result verifies the potential use of pectolinarigenin as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment pancreatic cancer.

Targeting RAS signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of colorectal cancer

The V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is frequently dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). It is involved in the modulation of several downstream effectors, that include: Raf/Mek/Erk, PI3K/Akt, RalGDS/p38MAPK, and Rac/Rho, and thereby influences tumorigenesis, the invasive behaviors of tumor cell, and resistance to therapy. There is growing evidence exploring the use of drugs that target these pathways in the treatment of CRC. Cetuximab has been approved for CRC patients without a KRAS mutation, or for EGFR-expressing metastatic CRC, although some of the patients have a mutation of KRAS and NRAS. This review summarizes the recent knowledge about the therapeutic potential of targeting RAS with particular emphasis on recent preclinical and clinical studies in treatment of CRC.