Esophageal cancer research today and tomorrow: Lessons from algae and other perspectives

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is an increasing concern due to poor prognosis, aggressive disease modalities, and a lack of efficient therapeutics. The two types of esophageal cancer: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) are responsible for an estimated 450,000 annual deaths, with over 457,000 new patients diagnosed in 2015, making it the eighth most prevalent and the 10th most fatal cancer worldwide. As esophageal cancer prevalence continues to increase, and so does the pressing need for the development of new and effective strategies for the early diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of this cancer, as well for building the innovative research tools to understand the affected molecular mechanisms. This short review summarizes the current statistics and recent research of the problems and solutions related to the esophageal cancer, and offer a brief overview of its epidemiology, molecular alterations, and existing biomedical tools. We will discuss currently available research tools and discuss selected approaches we deem relevant to find new model systems and therapies for the future with the special focus on novel opportunities presented by the unique molecules found in algae, namely carbohydrates and lipids. Their remarkable chemical variability is connected to their striking structural and functional properties, which combined with the relative novelty of these compounds to cancer biology, warrants interest of the wide biomedical community to these molecules, especially in the esophageal cancer theory and practice.

In vitro antitumor and immunotropic activity of carrageenans from red algae Chondrus armatus and their low‐molecular weight degradation products

“…Carrageenans ability to suppress tumor growth is well‐known (Bhattacharyya, Borthakur, Dudeja, & Tobacman, ; Prasedya, Miyake, Kobayashi, & Hazama, ; Tiasto et al, ), so our results in which all of the tested polysaccharides decreased KYSE30 and FLO1 metabolic activity was expected. Observed lack of carrageenan cytotoxicity toward normal human cells corresponds to a widely accepted notion of their safety (Prasedya et al, ; Shu et al, ).…”

Role of VEGFs/VEGFR-1 Signaling and Its Inhibition in Modulating Tumor Invasion: Experimental Evidence in Different Metastatic Cancer Models

“…Esophageal cancer, which comprises esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, is the eighth most common cancer type. Esophageal cancer standard therapy is surgical or endoscopic resection and chemoradiotherapy, but within 5 years about 50% of patients develop disease recurrence, due to hematogenous distribution of circulating tumor cells to distant sites (i.e., liver, lymph nodes, lung, bone, and brain) [198][199][200].…”

Metallothionein 2A Expression in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Cancer Cells Promotes Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression

“…ESCC is the most common type in East Asia (including Japan), Central Asia, East Africa, and South Africa, while EAC is the predominant type in North America and Europe [4,5]. Globally, ESCC accounts for about 90% of esophageal cancer cases, and its incidence is approximately seven times that of EAC [6]. Therefore, studying the mechanisms of ESCC development and progression is essential for global health.…”