Affiliations
- 1State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
- 2Department of Medical Cardiology, Zhongxiang TCM Hospital of Hubei, Zhongxiang, 431900, China.
- 3Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore; Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore; National University Cancer Institute, National University of Singapore, 119074, Singapore; NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore. Electronic address: csiwl@nus.edu.sg.
- 4State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China. Electronic address: chenlu@cdutcm.edu.cn.
- 5Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore; Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore; National University Cancer Institute, National University of Singapore, 119074, Singapore; NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore; Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Abstract
Cancer poses a significant global health burden, necessitating the widespread use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as conventional frontline interventions. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown remarkable advancements, the challenges of resistance development and severe side effects persist in cancer treatment. Consequently, researchers have actively sought more effective alternatives with improved safety profiles. In recent years, curcumin, a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin, has garnered considerable attention due to its broad spectrum of biological effects. This concise review provides valuable insights into the role of curcumin in cancer therapy, with a focus on elucidating its molecular mechanisms in inducing programmed cell death of tumor cells and suppressing tumor cell metastasis potential. Additionally, we discuss the challenges associated with the clinical application of curcumin and explore current endeavors aimed at overcoming these limitations. By shedding light on the promising potential of curcumin, this review contributes to the advancement of cancer treatment strategies.
PMID: 37541540 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216332