Nutraceuticals in breast cancer therapy: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential

Breast cancer (BC) remains a major global health burden, ranking as the most diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Despite advances in early diagnosis and therapy, challenges related to treatments such as resistance, recurrence, and systemic toxicity persist, especially in triple-negative breast cancer. Nutraceuticals-bioactive compounds from dietary and natural sources-are emerging as promising, multi-targeted, and low-toxicity agents for BC prevention and treatment. This review examines the mechanistic functions and therapeutic potential of various natural compounds from various sources in managing breast cancer. Phytochemicals such as curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, epigallocatechin gallate and baicalin modulate key oncogenic pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch and NFκB pathways. These substances show anti-cancer activity by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis, suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and regulating autophagy and immune responses. The review also highlights an additional class of natural agents derived from marine sources, including fungal metabolites and bacteriocins, which further strengthen anti-breast cancer treatment options. Though these compounds have promising pharmacodynamic profiles, clinical translation faces challenges such as poor solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid metabolism. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, such as tumor-specific liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles, are recommended to address these issues and enhance efficacy. Nutrigenomics and metabolomics also provide a framework for personalized treatment strategies. Overall, this review highlights the therapeutic potential of these agents for breast cancer and advocates for their integration into the field of oncology. Further, continued research and clinical evaluation are needed to confirm their potential and translate findings into practice.