Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
Xenobiotic Sulforaphane in Head and Neck Cancer: Beyond the Nrf2 Pathway
Alessandro Polizzi1, Rossella Rotondo2,3, Sabrina Donati Zeppa2
1Department of General Surgery and Surgical-Medical Specialties, School of Dentistry, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy.
None:
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent a major global health burden and remain associated with substantial morbidity and limited therapeutic options, particularly in advanced or recurrent disease. Increasing interest has focused on naturally derived bioactive compounds with potential chemopreventive and therapeutic properties. Sulforaphane, a dietary xenobiotic isothiocyanate derived from glucoraphanin in cruciferous vegetables, has attracted attention due to its ability to modulate redox balance, epigenetic regulation, and multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. This manuscript reviews current evidence regarding the biological effects of sulforaphane in HNCs. Particular attention is given to the molecular mechanisms underlying its modulation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, a key regulator of cellular antioxidant and detoxification responses that can be activated by sulforaphane. Several studies indicate that sulforaphane can inhibit tumor growth through several mechanisms beyond Nrf2 activation, including induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, epigenetic modulation, and suppression of oncogenic signaling pathways. In addition, sulforaphane has been shown to enhance the efficacy of conventional treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. Overall, the literature suggests that sulforaphane may represent a promising chemopreventive or therapeutic adjunct in HNC, although further clinical investigation is required to clarify its translational potential.
Related Concept Videos
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle