Present Status, Limitations and Future Directions of Treatment Strategies Using Fucoidan-Based Therapies in Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common urological cancer, with poor prognosis for advanced/metastatic stages. Various intensive treatments, including radical cystectomy, chemotherapy, immune therapy, and radiotherapy are commonly used for these patients. However, these treatments often cause complications and adverse events. Therefore, researchers are exploring the efficacy of natural product-based treatment strategies in BC patients. Fucoidan, derived from marine brown algae, is recognized as a multi-functional and safe substrate, and has been reported to have anti-cancer effects in various types of malignancies. Additionally, in vivo and in vitro studies have reported the protective effects of fucoidan against cancer-related cachexia and chemotherapeutic agent-induced adverse events. In this review, we have introduced the anti-cancer effects of fucoidan extracts in BC and highlighted its molecular mechanisms. We have also shown the anti-cancer effects of fucoidan therapy with conventional chemotherapeutic agents and new treatment strategies using fucoidan-based nanoparticles in various malignancies. Moreover, apart from the improvement of anti-cancer effects by fucoidan, its protective effects against cancer-related disorders and cisplatin-induced toxicities have been introduced. However, the available information is insufficient to conclude the clinical usefulness of fucoidan-based treatments in BC patients. Therefore, we have indicated the aspects that need to be considered regarding fucoidan-based treatments and future directions for the treatment of BC.

Ceruloplasmin Levels in Cancer Tissues and Urine Are Significant Biomarkers of Pathological Features and Outcome in Bladder Cancer

“…Thus, there are still various problems to be solved to improve the prognosis of patients with BC. In fact, many new treatment strategies have been proposed to improve outcomes and suppress adverse events in these patients (7,8). Furthermore, the identification of better predictive markers for BC recurrence and metastasis is important, and many investigators pay special attention to this issue (9)(10)(11).…”

LncRNA GAS5 regulates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through the miR-18a-5p/AXIN2/GSK3β axis to inhibit the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells

“…Bladder cancer is a common malignancy of the urinary system ( 11 , 12 ). BC is usually characterized by a high recurrence rate, invasiveness and migration ability, leading to a poor prognosis ( 4 ).…”

Fucoidan Inhibits the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Causing lncRNA LINC00261 Overexpression

“…As a natural polysaccharide extracted from brown algae, fucoidan was proved to have many biological effects (12)(13)(14)(15)(16). The anti-tumor abilities of fucoidan were confirmed in pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and other types of cancers (65)(66)(67)(68). Fucoidan could inhibit the occurrence and development of tumor by regulating tumor immunity (21,22), inhibiting angiogenesis (23), interfering with cell cycle and apoptosis (19,20), which is considered to have a broad prospect in the field of tumor therapy.…”