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Cancer-specific Regulation of Metabolic and Epigenetic Pathways by Dietary Phytochemicals

Yuxin Pan1,2, Rebecca Mary Peter1,2, Pochung Chou1,2

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Center for Phytochemical Epigenome Studies, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.

Pharmaceutical Research
|August 5, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Dietary phytochemicals show promise in cancer prevention and treatment by targeting metabolic and epigenetic pathways. Further research will explore their mechanisms and clinical applications for new cancer intervention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Cancer is a global health burden driven by genetic, metabolic, epigenetic, and environmental factors.
  • Dietary phytochemicals offer potential for cancer prevention and treatment by modulating epigenetic and metabolic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review metabolic and epigenetic changes in cancer.
  • To summarize research on how dietary phytochemicals regulate key pathways.
  • To offer insights for future research on phytochemicals in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature search across PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Web of Science.
  • Summarized anticancer effects of phytochemicals on epigenetic and metabolic pathways.
  • Focused on common cancers including colorectal, prostate, lung, skin, and breast cancer.

Main Results:

  • Phytochemicals regulate DNA methylation, histone modifications, oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic reprogramming.
  • They exhibit multi-targeted intervention by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
  • Phytochemicals can reverse metabolic and epigenetic changes, showing potential as adjunctive or alternative therapies.

Conclusions:

  • Phytochemicals effectively target metabolic and epigenetic networks for cancer prevention and treatment.
  • Future research should focus on mechanisms, clinical translation, and synergistic effects.
  • This provides a foundation for developing novel cancer intervention strategies.
Keywords:
Breast cancerCancer preventionColorectal cancerDietary phytochemicalsEpigeneticsLung cancerMetabolismProstate cancerSkin cancer

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