Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Irradiator Commissioning and Dosimetry for Assessment of LQ α and β Parameters, Radiation Dosing Schema, and in vivo Dose Deposition
Published on: March 11, 2021
A broad-spectrum integrative design for cancer prevention and therapy: The challenge ahead
Anupam Bishayee1, Keith Block2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Larkin Health Sciences Institute, 18301 N. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33169, USA.
Abstract:
Despite exciting advances in targeted therapies, high drug costs, marginal therapeutic benefits and notable toxicities are concerning aspects of today's cancer treatments. This special issue of Seminars in Cancer Biology proposes a broad-spectrum, integrative therapeutic model to complement targeted therapies. Based on extensive reviews of the cancer hallmarks, this model selects multiple high-priority targets for each hallmark, to be approached with combinations of low-toxicity, low-cost therapeutics, including phytochemicals, adapted to the well-known complexity and heterogeneity of malignancy. A global consortium of researchers has been assembled to advance this concept, which is especially relevant in an era of rapidly expanding capacity for genomic tumor analyses, alongside alarming growth in cancer morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income nations.
Insights
This study proposes an integrative cancer therapy model using low-cost, low-toxicity treatments to complement targeted therapies. This approach addresses high drug costs and treatment limitations, especially for global cancer challenges.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Genomics
Background:
- Current targeted cancer therapies face challenges including high costs, limited efficacy, and significant toxicities.
- Cancer's complexity and heterogeneity necessitate multifaceted therapeutic strategies beyond single-agent approaches.
Discussion:
- A novel, broad-spectrum, integrative therapeutic model is proposed to augment existing targeted therapies.
- This model prioritizes multiple targets for each cancer hallmark, utilizing combinations of low-toxicity, low-cost agents.
- Phytochemicals are highlighted as key components within this integrative approach, leveraging their established safety profiles.
Key Insights:
- The proposed model aims to mitigate the economic and toxicological burdens associated with conventional cancer treatments.
- It offers a scalable and adaptable strategy for diverse cancer types and patient populations.
- Integration of phytochemicals provides a cost-effective avenue for multi-target engagement.
Outlook:
- This integrative model is particularly relevant given advances in genomic tumor analysis and the rising global cancer burden.
- A global research consortium is established to further develop and validate this therapeutic paradigm.
- The approach holds promise for improving cancer treatment accessibility and outcomes, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Related Concept Videos
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
02:59Cancer Prevention
Some...
02:59Cancer Prevention
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...