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Review
. 2024 Oct 23:14:1438040.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1438040. eCollection 2024.

Curcumin as a novel therapeutic candidate for cancer: can this natural compound revolutionize cancer treatment?

Shadiya Fawzul Ameer  1 , Muna Yusuf Mohamed  1 , Qubaa Ahmed Elzubair  1 , Elham Abdullatif M Sharif  1 , Wisam Nabeel Ibrahim  1
Affiliations
Review

Curcumin as a novel therapeutic candidate for cancer: can this natural compound revolutionize cancer treatment?

Shadiya Fawzul Ameer et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite advances in medical treatments, current therapeutic strategies, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and surgical resection, have not significantly reduced the global incidence and mortality rates of cancer. Oncologists face considerable challenges in devising effective treatment plans due to the adverse side effects associated with standard therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective and well-tolerated cancer treatments. Curcumin, a naturally occurring compound, has garnered significant attention for its diverse biological properties. Both preclinical studies and clinical trials have highlighted curcumin's potential in cancer treatment, demonstrating its ability to inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cell types through multiple cellular and molecular pathways. This paper examines the antineoplastic properties, and the therapeutic mechanisms including cell signalling pathways targeted by curcumin that are implicated in cancer development and explores the challenges in advancing curcumin as a viable anticancer therapy.

Keywords: cancer; chemotherapy; curcumin; nanotechnology; signalling pathways.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The potential therapeutic properties of Curcumin. Its multifaceted effects, encompassing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antihypertensive properties, underscore its versatility in disease management.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mode of curcumin actions as an anti-cancer agent on the key molecular targets as an anticancer therapeutic Agent. Curcumin possesses anti-cancer properties by inhibiting signaling pathways and their downstream molecular targets; (A) P13k/Akt/mTOR pathway;(B) Ras/Raf/ERK pathway; (C) JAK1,2/STAT3 pathway; (D) Wnt/β-Catenin pathway; (E) NF-kβ pathway; (F) Hedgehog pathway; (G) Notch pathway. Molecular targets and signaling pathways that are downregulated by curcumin are noted by using ┤, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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