Integrating Nutraceuticals into Cancer Care

Abstract

Cancer remains a major global health challenge, consistently ranking as the second leading cause of mortality worldwide, despite significant advancements in research and technology, conventional treatments chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, but often associated with several toxicity, drug resistance and reduced quality of life.[1] These limitations have encouraged Interest in Nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals are nourishing components (hybrids of nutrition and pharmaceuticals) that are biologically active and possess the capability to maintain optimal health and benefits. Nutraceuticals like curcumin (from turmeric), resveratrol, sulforaphane, vitamin c, vitamin D,Garlic extracts,greenteaextract, Omega-3 fatty acids,probiotics, Quercetin, APE (Annurca Apple polyphenol extract), Anthraquinone, Flavonoids, lycopene, carnosol have shown the ability to stop cancer growth in different ways.[2] This review summarizes the current evidence on the anticancer properties of nutraceuticals and their possible integration into cancer care settings. It covers the mechanism of action and anti-cancer roles (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, probiotic, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, and immune modulating) based on evidence from preclinical and clinical studies. Overall, nutraceuticals represent promising adjuncts in integrative oncology, with the potential to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life in patients with cancer. Further well-designed clinical studies, advanced delivery systems, and regulatory frameworks are essential to establish their evidence-based use in routine cancer therapies.

Introduction

Cancer develops when normal cells lose control over their growth and division due to DNA damage. Instead of undergoing programmed cell death, these cells continue to proliferate, forming tumors. Malignant tumors can invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant organs through blood or lymphatic vessels—a process known as metastasis. Cancer may develop due to inherited genetic mutations or environmental factors such as tobacco smoke and carcinogens. While many cancers form solid tumors, blood cancers like leukemia spread through the bloodstream without forming discrete masses. Early detection and lifestyle modifications—such as avoiding smoking and maintaining a healthy diet—significantly reduce cancer risk and improve outcomes.

Cancer incidence varies by age, gender, lifestyle, environment, genetics, and geography. According to the WHO, cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, responsible for around 8.2 million deaths annually, a number expected to rise to over 13 million by 2030. The most deadly cancers include lung, liver, stomach, colorectal, and breast cancers.

There are several major types of cancer, including carcinomas, sarcomas, leukemias, lymphomas/myelomas, and cancers of the central nervous system. Although conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy can be effective, they often produce serious side effects that impact patient well-being. These limitations have increased interest in nutraceuticals—bioactive compounds derived from food that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

Nutraceuticals (e.g., curcumin, resveratrol, sulforaphane, vitamins C and D, garlic extract, green tea extract, omega-3s, probiotics, flavonoids, lycopene, etc.) may support cancer therapy by reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, decreasing oxidative stress, inhibiting tumor growth, inducing apoptosis, and lowering treatment-related side effects. Each nutraceutical has specific mechanisms and dosage ranges, contributing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, or immune-modulating effects.

Specific examples include:

• Curcumin – antioxidant and anti-inflammatory; inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis.

• Resveratrol – affects multiple pathways controlling tumor growth, metastasis, and cell death.

• Sulforaphane – activates detoxification pathways and antioxidant defenses.

• Vitamin C – can exert anti-tumor effects through ROS generation in cancer cells.

• Vitamin D – promotes apoptosis and enhances response to chemo/radiation.

• Garlic extract – sulfur compounds suppress tumor growth and enhance immune defense.

Overall, nutraceuticals can complement conventional cancer therapies by reducing adverse effects and supporting physiological functions. They hold promise as supportive and preventive agents but should be used alongside—not instead of—standard medical treatments.

Conclusion

Nutraceuticals represent a promising and evolving field in the prevention and management of cancer. Various natural compounds such as curcumin, lycopene, resveratrol, carnosol, and others have shown significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative effects in both experimental and clinical studies. These bioactive agents not only help in reducing cancer risk but also enhance the effectiveness of conventional therapies while minimizing their side effects. However, challenges such as low bioavailability, lack of standardization, limited clinical evidence, and regulatory barriers continue to restrict their widespread clinical use. Future research focusing on advanced formulation technologies, personalized nutrition, and large-scale clinical trials will be essential to translate these natural products into reliable therapeutic tools. With continued innovation and scientific validation, nutraceuticals hold great potential to become integral components of comprehensive cancer prevention and treatment strategies.

References

[1] Kaur C, Kumar S, Singh S, et al. Cancer: a black spot to human race! Res J Sci Technol. 2020;12(1):1–12. [2] Puri V, Nagpal M, Singh I, Singh M, Dhingra GA, Huanbutta K, Dheer D, Sharma A, Sangnim T. A Comprehensive Review on Nutraceuticals: Therapy Support and Formulation Challenges. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 3;14(21):4637. doi: 10.3390/nu14214637. PMID: 36364899; PMCID: PMC9654660. [3] Anand P, Kunnumakkara A B. Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharma. Research. 2008; 25: 2097-2116. [4] Biesalski, H K et al. European consensus statement on lung cancer: risk factors and prevention. CA. Cancer. Journal of Clinicians. 1998; 48: 167-176. [5] Katzung, B G. Basic and Clinical pharmacology. McGraw–hill: Boston. 2000, 878-881. [6] . Boveri T. Concerning the origin of malignant tumours. Journal of Cell Science. 2008; 121: 1-84 [7] Chauhan B, Kumar G, Kalam N, Ansari S H, Current concepts and prospects of herbal nutraceutical: A review, Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology and Research, 2013; 4: 428. [8] Pulido-Moran M, Moreno-Fernandez J, Ramirez-Tortosa C, Ramirez-Tortosa M. Curcumin and health. Molecules. 2016 Feb 25;21(3):264. [9] Diaz-Gerevini GT, Repossi G, Dain A, Tarres MC, Das UN, Eynard AR. Beneficial action of resveratrol: How and why? Nutrition. 2016 Feb 1;32(2):174-8. [10] Pawlik A, Wiczk A, Kaczy?ska A, Antosiewicz J, Herman-Antosiewicz A. Sulforaphane inhibits growth of phenotypically different breast cancer cells. European journal of nutrition. 2013 Dec;52(8):1949-58. [11] Vissers MC, Das AB. Potential mechanisms of action for vitamin C in cancer: reviewing the evidence. Frontiers in physiology. 2018 Jul 3; 9:809. [12] Bouillon R, Eelen G, Verlinden L, Mathieu C, Carmeliet G, Verstuyf A. Vitamin D and cancer. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 2006 Dec 1;102(1-5):156-62. [13] Wang X, Jiao F, Wang QW, Wang J, Yang K, Hu RR, Liu HC, Wang HY, Wang YS. Aged black garlic extract induces inhibition of gastric cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Molecular Medicine Reports. 2012 Jan 1;5(1):66-72. [14] Yuan JM. Cancer prevention by green tea: evidence from epidemiologic studies. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2013 Dec 1;98(6):1676S-81S. [15] Hardman WE. Omega-3 fatty acids to augment cancer therapy. The Journal of nutrition. 2002 Nov 1;132(11):3508S-12S. [16] Górska A, Przystupski D, Niemczura MJ, Kulbacka J. Probiotic bacteria: a promising tool in cancer prevention and therapy. Current microbiology. 2019 Apr 4;76(8):939. [17] Reyes-Farias M, Carrasco-Pozo C. The anti-cancer effect of quercetin: molecular implications in cancer metabolism. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019 Jun 28;20(13):3177. [18] Lucini L, Pellizzoni M, Molinari GP, Franchi F. Aloe anthraquinones against cancer. Med Aromat Plant Sci Biotechnol. 2012; 5:20-4. [19] Abotaleb M, Samuel SM, Varghese E, Varghese S, Kubatka P, Liskova A, Büsselberg D. Flavonoids in cancer and apoptosis. Cancers. 2018 Dec 28;11(1):28. [20] Rao AV, Agarwal S. Role of antioxidant lycopene in cancer and heart disease. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2000 Oct 1;19(5):563-9. [21] O’Neill EJ, Den Hartogh DJ, Azizi K, Tsiani E. Anticancer properties of carnosol: a summary of in vitro and in vivo evidence. Antioxidants. 2020 Oct 8;9(10):961. [22] Aggarwal BB, Kumar A, Bharti AC. Anticancer potential of curcumin: preclinical and clinical studies. Anticancer Res. 2003 Jan-Feb;23(1A):363-98. PMID: 12680238. [23] Karunagaran D, Rashmi R, Kumar TRS. Induction of apoptosis by curcumin and its implications for cancer therapy. Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2005;5(2):117–129. doi:10.2174/1568009053202081. [24] Ko JH, Sethi G, Um JY, Shanmugam MK, Arfuso F, Kumar AP, Bishayee A, Ahn KS. The role of resveratrol in cancer therapy. International journal of molecular sciences. 2017 Dec 1;18(12):2589. [25] Khan S, Awan KA, Iqbal MJ. Sulforaphane as a potential remedy against cancer: Comprehensive mechanistic review. Journal of Food Biochemistry. 2022 Mar;46(3): e13886. [26] Schlueter AK, Johnston CS. Vitamin C: overview and update. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 2011 Jan;16(1):49-57. [27] Reczek CR, Chandel NS. Revisiting vitamin C and cancer. Science. 2015 Dec 11;350(6266):1317-8. [28] Vuolo L, Faggiano A, Colao AA. Vitamin D and cancer. Frontiers in endocrinology. 2012 Apr 23; 3:23546. [29] Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Mohr SB, Holick MF. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. American journal of public health. 2006 Feb;96(2):252-61. [30] Thomson M, Ali M. Garlic [Allium sativum]: a review of its potential use as an anti-cancer agent. Current cancer drug targets. 2003 Feb 1;3(1):67-81. [31] Bushman JL. Green tea and cancer in humans: a review of the literature. Nutrition and cancer. 1998 Jan 1;31(3):151-9. [32] Fujiki H, Suganuma M, Okabe S, Sueoka N, Komori A, Sueoka E, Kozu T, Tada Y, Suga K, Imai K, Nakachi K. Cancer inhibition by green tea. Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis. 1998 Jun 18;402(1-2):307-10. [33] Hardman WE. Omega-3 fatty acids to augment cancer therapy. The Journal of nutrition. 2002 Nov 1;132(11):3508S-12S. [34] Reyes-Farias M, Carrasco-Pozo C. The anti-cancer effect of quercetin: molecular implications in cancer metabolism. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019 Jun 28;20(13):3177. [35] Le Marchand L. Cancer preventive effects of flavonoids—a review. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy. 2002 Aug 1;56(6):296-301. [36] van Breemen RB, Pajkovic N. Multitargeted therapy of cancer by lycopene. Cancer letters. 2008 Oct 8;269(2):339-51. [37] Johary A, Jain V, Misra S. Role of lycopene in the prevention of cancer. International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2012 Sep 1;2(3):167-70. [38] Chun KS, Kundu J, Chae IG, Kundu JK. Carnosol: a phenolic diterpene with cancer chemo preventive potential. Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2014 Jun;19(2):103.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Faisal Ahmad Ansari, Tarkeshwar Prasad Shukla, Sujeet Pratap Singh, Pramod Mishra. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.