Role of Stress-Survival Pathways and Transcriptomic Alterations in Progression of Colorectal Cancer: A Health Disparities Perspective

Abstract

Every year, more than a million individuals are diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) across the world. Certain lifestyle and genetic factors are known to drive the high incidence and mortality rates in some groups of individuals. The presence of enormous amounts of reactive oxygen species is implicated for the on-set and carcinogenesis, and oxidant scavengers are thought to be important in CRC therapy. In this review, we focus on the ethnicity-based CRC disparities in the U.S., the negative effects of oxidative stress and apoptosis, and gene regulation in CRC carcinogenesis. We also highlight the use of antioxidants for CRC treatment, along with screening for certain regulatory genetic elements and oxidative stress indicators as potential biomarkers to determine the CRC risk and progression.

Enhancement of the Antigenotoxic and Antioxidant Actions of Eugenol from Spice Clove and the Stabilizer Gum Arabic on Colorectal Carcinogenesis

“…The colorectal mucosa is frequently exposed to oxidative and carcinogenic nutrients, promoting the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals [7]. From a normal physiological standpoint, the formation of ROS and their elimination by means of antioxidant mechanisms occurs in balanced form [8], and the low levels of ROS contribute to the tissue repair process and immunity [7].…”

“…In the case of DNA, the ROS induces damages such as single or double-strand breaks or modification of the nucleotide base. The final products of the lipid peroxidation react with the DNA bases, giving rise to DNA adducts, which can promote colorectal carcinogenesis [7].…”