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Published on: November 28, 2019
A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation
Abbas K Samadi1, Alan Bilsland2, Alexandros G Georgakilas3
1Sanus Biosciences, San Diego, CA, United States.
Abstract:
Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes.
Insights
This study explores targeting tumor-promoting inflammation to combat cancer heterogeneity and treatment resistance. Natural compounds offer a low-toxicity approach to simultaneously hit multiple anti-inflammatory targets for broad-spectrum cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Inflammation Research
- Natural Product Chemistry
Background:
- Cancer exhibits genetic heterogeneity and relapse often results from treatment resistance.
- Current multi-drug cancer therapies face toxicity limitations.
- Tumor-promoting inflammation is a key factor in cancer development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the link between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer.
- To identify broad-spectrum therapeutic targets within inflammatory pathways.
- To explore natural compounds as low-toxicity agents for simultaneous target engagement.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of key inflammatory mediators and their role in cancer.
- Identification of natural compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.
- Analysis of potential synergistic effects of combined natural compounds.
Main Results:
- Several inflammatory targets (e.g., macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor-κB) are crucial in cancer.
- Natural compounds like curcumin, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin gallate show potential for targeting these pathways.
- These compounds offer a low-cost, low-toxicity alternative for multi-target cancer therapy.
Conclusions:
- Targeting tumor-promoting inflammation presents a promising strategy to address cancer heterogeneity and resistance.
- Natural compounds can be rationally combined to create effective, low-toxicity anti-inflammatory cancer therapies.
- Future research should focus on translational studies of these synergistic anti-inflammatory mixtures.
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