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Molecular pathways for cancer chemoprevention by dietary phytochemicals

Aaron C Tan1, Izabela Konczak, Daniel M-Y Sze

  • 1Food Futures Flagship, CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, North Ryde, NSW, Australia. tan.aaron.c@gmail.com

Nutrition and Cancer
|April 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Dietary phytochemicals show promise for cancer chemoprevention. This review identifies key molecular pathways like oxidative stress and inflammation, crucial for screening effective cancer-preventing compounds.

Area of Science:

  • * Nutritional biochemistry and molecular oncology.
  • * Focus on the role of dietary compounds in cancer prevention.

Background:

  • * Growing interest in dietary phytochemicals for cancer chemoprevention.
  • * Carcinogenesis involves complex molecular pathways, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis evasion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To systematically review molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis.
  • * To establish a basis for screening phytochemicals for cancer chemoprevention.
  • * To identify molecular targets for routine phytochemical screening.

Main Methods:

  • * Literature review of molecular mechanisms in carcinogenesis.
  • * Analysis of key biological processes: oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis.
  • * Identification of relevant phytochemical activities: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic.

Main Results:

  • * Oxidative stress, inflammation, and evasion of apoptosis are critical in cancer development.
  • * Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-apoptotic activities are key for chemoprevention.
  • * These activities provide a framework for evaluating phytochemicals.

Conclusions:

  • * Targeting specific molecular processes can enhance phytochemical screening for cancer chemoprevention.
  • * A systematic approach based on molecular mechanisms is essential for identifying effective agents.
  • * This review offers a foundation for selecting promising dietary phytochemicals for cancer prevention research.

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