Natural products have been gaining wider attention from the scientific community for their strong antioxidant and bioactive potential, which is helpful in cancer prevention and management. Studies employing different phytochemicals derived from natural products revealed their cancer-preventive and anticarcinogenic capabilities by modulating a variety of pathways involved in cellular proliferation & differentiation, apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and migration. Hence, plant-based compounds or extracts from natural products represent a source of phytochemicals that could potentially be developed as therapeutic agents to be used either alone or in combination with other conventional approaches for combating cancer. Natural remedies have been used extensively to cure human illnesses since ancient times and are being utilized as a key resource in drug discovery and developmental studies. In a variety of preclinical cancer models, natural products and their formulations have been shown to increase selective cancer cell death and decrease the cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, invasion, and metastasis of various cancer types. Despite promising preclinical research findings, paucity of well-studied and controlled clinical trials including safety assessment warrants additional research.
In light of these considerations, understanding the potential of natural products at the level of specific cell signaling pathways is critical to establish their preventive-based strategies or therapeutic interventions. To this end, this article collection aims to compile articles surrounding the pharmacological and biological potential of natural products against the development of various human cancers.
We welcome all types of submissions including original research, reviews, and perspectives related to the identification of target genes or proteins in carcinogenesis with special emphasis on the following subtopics: chemoprevention research, discovery, and validation of natural products targeting oncogenes or immunotherapy checkpoints.
Submissions from diverse fields including cancer biology, immunology, and translational research are welcome.
