Metastasis represents a serious complication in the treatment of cancer. Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites exerting various health beneficiary effects. The effects of flavonoids against cancer are associated not only with early stages of the cancer process, but also with cancer progression and spread into distant sites. Flavonoids showed potent anti-cancer effects against various cancer models in vitro and in vivo, mediated via regulation of key signaling pathways involved in the migration and invasion of cancer cells and metastatic progression, including key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition or regulatory molecules such as MMPs, uPA/uPAR, TGF-β and other contributors of the complex process of metastatic spread. Moreover, flavonoids modulated also the expression of genes associated with the progression of cancer and improved inflammatory status, a part of the complex process involved in the development of metastasis. Flavonoids also documented clear potential to improve the anti-cancer effectiveness of conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Most importantly, flavonoids represent environmentally-friendly and cost-effective substances; moreover, a wide spectrum of different flavonoids demonstrated safety and minimal side effects during long-termed administration. In addition, the bioavailability of flavonoids can be improved by their conjugation with metal ions or structural modifications by radiation. In conclusion, anti-cancer effects of flavonoids, targeting all phases of carcinogenesis including metastatic progression, should be implemented into clinical cancer research in order to strengthen their potential use in the future targeted prevention and therapy of cancer in high-risk individuals or patients with aggressive cancer disease with metastatic potential.
In the global context, the epidemic of breast cancer (BC) is evident for the early 21st century. Evidence shows that national mammography screening programs have sufficiently reduced BC related mortality. Therefore, the great utility of the mammography-based screening is not an issue. However, both false positive and false negative BC diagnosis, excessive biopsies, and irradiation linked to mammography application, as well as sub-optimal mammography-based screening, such as in the case of high-dense breast tissue in young females, altogether increase awareness among the experts regarding the limitations of mammography-based screening. Severe concerns regarding the mammography as the “golden standard” approach demanding complementary tools to cover the evident deficits led the authors to present innovative strategies, which would sufficiently improve the quality of the BC management and services to the patient. Contextually, this article provides insights into mammography deficits and current clinical data demonstrating the great potential of non-invasive diagnostic tools utilizing circulating miRNA profiles as an adjunct to conventional mammography for the population screening and personalization of BC management.
Cost-efficacy of currently applied treatments is an issue in overall cancer management challenging healthcare and causing tremendous economic burden to societies around the world. Consequently, complex treatment models presenting concepts of predictive diagnostics followed by targeted prevention and treatments tailored to the personal patient profiles earn global appreciation as benefiting the patient, healthcare economy, and the society at large. In this context, application of flavonoids as a spectrum of compounds and their nano-technologically created derivatives is extensively under consideration, due to their multi-faceted anti-cancer effects applicable to the overall cost-effective cancer management, primary, secondary, and even tertiary prevention. This article analyzes most recently updated data focused on the potent capacity of flavonoids to promote anti-cancer therapeutic effects and interprets all the collected research achievements in the frame-work of predictive, preventive, and personalized (3P) medicine. Main pillars considered are:- Predictable anti-neoplastic, immune-modulating, drug-sensitizing effects;- Targeted molecular pathways to improve therapeutic outcomes by increasing sensitivity of cancer cells and reversing their resistance towards currently applied therapeutic modalities.
Breast cancer incidence is actually the highest one among all cancers. Overall breast cancer management is associated with challenges considering risk assessment and predictive diagnostics, targeted prevention of metastatic disease, appropriate treatment options, and cost-effectiveness of approaches applied. Accumulated research evidence indicates promising anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals protecting cells against malignant transformation, inhibiting carcinogenesis and metastatic spread, supporting immune system and increasing effectiveness of conventional anti-cancer therapies, among others. Molecular and sub-/cellular mechanisms are highly complex affecting several pathways considered potent targets for advanced diagnostics and cost-effective treatments. Demonstrated anti-cancer affects, therefore, are clinically relevant for improving individual outcomes and might be applicable to the primary (protection against initial cancer development), secondary (protection against potential metastatic disease development), and tertiary (towards cascading complications) care. However, a detailed data analysis is essential to adapt treatment algorithms to individuals’ and patients’ needs. Consequently, advanced concepts of patient stratification, predictive diagnostics, targeted prevention, and treatments tailored to the individualized patient profile are instrumental for the cost-effective application of natural anti-cancer substances to improve overall breast cancer management benefiting affected individuals and the society at large.
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