Cancer Treatment Modalities Systemic and Locoregional Approaches: Challenges and Opportunities of Multidisciplinary Approaches

Cancer is one of the most complicated diseases in present-day medical science. Yearly, several studies suggest various strategies for preventing carcinogenesis. Furthermore, experiments for the treatment of cancer with low side effects are ongoing. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy are the most common non-invasive strategies for cancer treatment. One of the most challenging issues encountered with these modalities is low effectiveness, as well as normal tissue toxicity for chemo-radiation therapy. The use of some agents as adjuvants has been suggested to improve tumor responses and also alleviate normal tissue toxicity. Resveratrol, a natural flavonoid, has attracted a lot of attention for the management of both tumor and normal tissue responses to various modalities of cancer therapy. As an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, in vitro and in vivo studies show that it is able to mitigate chemo-radiation toxicity in normal tissues. However, clinical studies to confirm the usage of resveratrol as a chemo-radioprotector are lacking. In addition, it can sensitize various types of cancer cells to both chemotherapy drugs and radiation. In recent years, some clinical studies suggested that resveratrol may have an effect on inducing cancer cell killing. Yet, clinical translation of resveratrol has not yielded desirable results for the combination of resveratrol with radiotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. In this paper, we review the potential role of resveratrol for preserving normal tissues and sensitization of cancer cells in combination with different cancer treatment modalities.

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Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells to promote/suppress cancer: two sides of the same coin

Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13287-021-02196-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ameneh Jafari ◽

Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani ◽

Behrouz Farhadihosseinabadi ◽

Hakimeh Zali ◽

Hassan Niknejad

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Adult Stem Cells ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Human Amniotic Membrane ◽

Amniotic Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Growth And Aging

AbstractCancer is a leading cause of death in both developed and developing countries, and because of population growth and aging, it is a growing medical burden worldwide. With robust development in medicine, the use of stem cells has opened new treatment modalities in cancer therapy. In adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are showing rising promise in cancer treatment due to their unique properties. Among different sources of MSCs, human amniotic fluid/membrane is an attractive and suitable reservoir. There are conflicting opinions about the role of human amniotic membrane/fluid mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCS/hAFMSCs) in cancer, as some studies demonstrating the anticancer effects of these cells and others suggesting their progressive effects on cancer. This review focuses on recent findings about the role of hAMSCs/hAFMSCs in cancer treatment and summarizes the suppressing as well as promoting effects of these cells on cancer progression and underling mechanisms.

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Advanced and Innovative Nano-Systems for Anticancer Targeted Drug Delivery

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics13081151 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1151

Author(s):

Lu Tang ◽

Jing Li ◽

Qingqing Zhao ◽

Ting Pan ◽

Hui Zhong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Delivery ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Small Molecule ◽

Anticancer Agents ◽

Targeted Drug Delivery ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Biological Macromolecules ◽

Passive Targeting ◽

Efficient Delivery ◽

Targeted Drug

The encapsulation of therapeutic agents into nano-based drug delivery system for cancer treatment has received considerable attention in recent years. Advancements in nanotechnology provide an opportunity for efficient delivery of anticancer drugs. The unique properties of nanoparticles not only allow cancer-specific drug delivery by inherent passive targeting phenomena and adopting active targeting strategies, but also improve the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the loaded drugs, leading to enhanced therapeutic efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatment modalities. Small molecule drugs are the most widely used anticancer agents at present, while biological macromolecules, such as therapeutic antibodies, peptides and genes, have gained increasing attention. Therefore, this review focuses on the recent achievements of novel nano-encapsulation in targeted drug delivery. A comprehensive introduction of intelligent delivery strategies based on various nanocarriers to encapsulate small molecule chemotherapeutic drugs and biological macromolecule drugs in cancer treatment will also be highlighted.

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Longterm cognitive dysfunction in paediatric brain tumour survivors - the need for multifactorial risk screening

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.174 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (S1) ◽

pp. S47-S47

Author(s):

Ashy Rengit

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Brain Tumour ◽

Cognitive Dysfunction ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Treatment Comparison ◽

Study Results ◽

Paediatric Brain Tumour ◽

Common Risk Factors

AimsIdentify common risk factors for longterm cognitive dysfunction in PBTS (paediatric brain tumour survivors) Examine how various paediatric cancer treatment modalities affect cognitive outcomes Consider baseline features which may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction in PBTSMethodCurrent research into the neuropsychiatric sequelae of childhood brain tumours is limited, therefore review of the literature was conducted to identify research within this field.DatabasesGoogle Scholar - papers accessed via the University of Brighton or Sussex online libraryNICE HDAS - HMIC, AMED, MEDLINE, BNI, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Pubmed, EMBASE & EMCAREMendeley reference manager - papers for background readingSearch termsPICO(T) method - Population (Cancer Survivors), Intervention (Cancer Treatment), Comparison (Brain tumour), Outcome (Cognitive dysfunction) & Time (Childhood & adolescence) Boolean operators (AND/OR), truncation and wildcard search functions were also utilised.Inclusion criteria; no limits on date, study type or gender, however, study results were limited by age - as the research focus was restricted to children and adolescents.Excluded results; papers which did not meet inclusion criteria, duplicate studies, studies measuring non-cognitive cancer outcomes or investigating non-cortical tumours, non-English language studies with no available English translations.ResultCommon risk factors - certain tumour types (glioneuronal tumours or gliomas) or inner cortical tumour sites e.g. were more vulnerable to epileptogenesis. In particular, seizures which were prolonged and treatment-resistant were associated with a greater degree of cognitive dysfunction.Impact of various cancer treatment modalities - overall results understandably suggested that patients are more likely to develop cognitive deficits following brain tumour treatment. In particular, partial tumour resection (especially if epileptogenic), whole-brain irradiation, cranial radiotherapy and chemotherapy were more likely to impact cognitive function.Baseline features that may increase likelihood of cognitive dysfunction e.g. intellectual disability or education level were not noted in the reviewed literature.ConclusionCancer is one of the leading causes of global child mortality, and younger populations often present to paediatric oncology services with brain tumour involvement. Current childhood brain tumour research has begun to recognise that many young survivors develop into adulthood with cognitive sequelae impacting quality of life measures. However, existing evidence is also limited and requires further research to produce a standardised clinical tool for screening various risk factors which may increase longterm risk of cognitive dysfunction and subsequent difficulties with daily life.

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Curcumin-based nanoformulations to target breast cancer: current trends and challenges

Current Nanomaterials ◽

10.2174/2405461506666210831145230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 06 ◽

Author(s):

Adnan Badran ◽

Joelle Mesmar ◽

Nadine Wehbe ◽

Riham El Kurdi ◽

Digambara Patra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Low Cost ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Research Area ◽

Delivery Systems ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Anticancer Efficacy ◽

Future Direction

: Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers in women worldwide, and despite significant improvements in treatment modalities, the prognosis of this cancer is still poor. Herbs and plant extracts have been associated with various health benefits, and traditional folk medicine is still receiving great interest among patients as proven by accumulated records, tolerable side effects of herbal compounds compared to their synthetic counterparts, and low cost. Curcumin is a polyphenol identified as the main active ingredient in turmeric and has been used in the treatment of various diseases and ailments. Additionally, the pharmacological activities of curcumin on many cancers have been investigated substantially due to its ability to regulate many signaling pathways involved in cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, the low solubility and bioavailability of curcumin limit its benefits, urging the need for new curcumin formulations and delivery systems. Nanotechnology has been widely publicized in cancer treatment not only to overcome the limitations of poorly soluble and physiologically unstable compounds but also to improve the delivery of the drug to the diseased site and cellular uptake. In this review, we summarized the main anti-tumor effect of curcumin and its mode of action on breast cancer and focused on the anticancer efficacy of various and recent curcumin nanoformulations and delivery systems. Such nanotechnological systems could pave the way to address a new future direction in this research area, enhancing the therapeutic potential of curcumin in the treatment of breast cancer. In the next few years, there will be more focus on developing curcumin-based materials for breast cancer treatment.

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Enhancing Fidelity to Cancer Treatment Guidelines

10.1093/med/9780190647421.003.0019 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kathy J. Helzlsouer ◽

Arti Patel Varanasi

Keyword(s):

Cancer Treatment ◽

Treatment Guidelines ◽

Treatment Plan ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Appropriate Treatment ◽

Complex Process ◽

Navigation Program ◽

Race Ethnicity

Cancer treatment has become increasingly complex with the rapid development of new therapies and treatment modalities. Guidelines for optimum cancer treatment are produced by several organizations, but ensuring that the patient receives the treatment requires both provider awareness and patient support to follow a complex treatment plan. An individual diagnosed with cancer must simultaneously come to terms with the diagnosis, make difficult shared decisions about treatment with his or her provider, and commence treatment in a matter of a few days or weeks. Ensuring optimum treatment is an increasingly complex process that involves multiple people and steps. Well-documented disparities exist in the receipt of and adherence to appropriate treatment by demographic and social factors, such as age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography. This case study provides an example of how the process of providing optimum cancer treatment may be improved through a technology-enhanced navigation program.

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Challenges and Opportunities in Repurposing of Drugs: Mini Review

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science ◽

10.3329/bjms.v19i3.45851 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 365-371

Author(s):

S Sindhu ◽

S Murugan

Keyword(s):

Cancer Treatment ◽

Clinical Condition ◽

Bacterial Infections ◽

Review Paper ◽

Medical Science ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Repurposed Drugs ◽

Clinical Conditions ◽

Old Drugs ◽

Cancer Diseases

for treating a new clinical condition takes time and consumes a lot of investment. Therefore, there is much attention given towards repurposing of old drugs for new therapy. Majority of drugs approved by FDA for a particular treatment has found applications in the treatment of various other clinical conditions too. In other words, it can be said as ‘reusing’ of a drug. This mini review focused on the use of repurposed drugs for bacterial infections and cancer treatment. Apart from the benefits of repurposing of drugs, there are some challenges needed to be addressed. Therefore, in this review paper the use of repurposed drugs in treatment of communicable (bacterial infections) and non-communicable (cancer) diseases were discussed. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(3) 2020 p.365-371

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Controversies in Rectal Cancer Treatment and Management

American Society of Clinical Oncology Educational Book ◽

10.1200/edbk_279871 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 136-146

Author(s):

Weijing Sun ◽

Raed Al-Rajabi ◽

Rodrigo O. Perez ◽

Saquib Abbasi ◽

Ryan Ash ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rectal Cancer ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Organ Preservation ◽

Advanced Disease ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Preoperative Treatment ◽

Perioperative Therapy ◽

Rectal Cancer Treatment ◽

New Treatment ◽

Local Advanced

Incorporation of new treatment modalities has significantly increased the complexity of the treatment and management of rectal cancer, including perioperative therapy for local advanced disease and organ preservation for those with response to the preoperative treatment. This review may help practitioners better understand the rationale and selection.

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The Role of Target Therapy in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Noncolorectal Cancers: Clinical Impact and Cost Consideration

Current Cancer Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1568009617666170208162058 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 430-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Massimiliano Berretta ◽

Carmela Romano ◽

Raffaele Di Francia ◽

Chiara De Diviitis ◽

Vincenzo Canzonieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Treatment ◽

Multidisciplinary Approach ◽

Kinase Inhibitors ◽

Target Therapy ◽

New Drugs ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

New Treatment ◽

Remarkable Progress ◽

Egfr Antibody

Gastrointestinal (GI) tumors are among the leading cause of death in cancer patients worldwide. Particularly, gastric cancer (GC) is the third cause of cancer deaths, whereas esophageal neoplasm is the eighth leading most common cancer worldwide and its incidence, especially adenocarcinoma type, is continuously increasing. Also, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic cancer represent a very interesting model to multidisciplinary approach and recently new drugs are used in their treatment. Currently, new clinical trials are designed including classic chemotherapy in association with either small molecule inhibitors (i.e. Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors) and/or monoclonal antibody (i.e. anti-EGFR antibody). Moreover, a comprehensive list of new molecules for target therapy is included in this issue. The development of new treatment modalities (multidisciplinary approach) and targeted therapy approaches have contributed to improving the outcome in these cancer diseases. During the past few years, remarkable progress in molecular biology of malignancy, the discovery of specific targets, and the resulting development of systemic drugs that block critical kinases and several molecular pathways have all contributed to progress in cancer treatment, also in GI non-colorectal cancer treatment.

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