Current Cancer Therapy Reviews - Volume 19, Issue 1, 2023

Targeted drug delivery systems that selectively deliver anticancer drugs to tumour cells have always been a field of interest in reducing side effects associated with chemotherapy in cancer patients. Cancer cells require nutrients for their multiplication; folic acid is one such nutrient. The expression of folate receptors is negligible in normal cells, whereas they are overexpressed in a variety of cancer cells. A number of studies have shown that selective targeting of folate receptors in cancer is a beneficial approach, as folate targeted anticancer conjugates are selective towards cancer cells, thereby sparing non-cancerous cells. In this review, we have discussed folate receptor, folic acid as a cancer targeting moiety, different folate targeted anticancer drug conjugates, and different folate conjugated nanodelivery systems. This summarized information may turn out to be valuable for researchers to design novel folate targeted anticancer drug delivery systems that can potentially reduce the drawbacks associated with conventional cancer therapeutics.

The field of oncotherapy has always been looking out for alternative treatment methods that have much lesser side effects compared to the currently used therapies that lower the patients’ quality of life. Gold Nanoparticle (GNP)-mediated photothermal therapies are proving to be a boon as they are both non-invasive and tumour-specific. This review analyses how GNPs can help right from the beginning, that is, the diagnosis of cancer, to the end, that is, effective ablation of cancerous cells. Their ability to function as photothermal absorbers, targeted drug deliverers, and inducers of photoimmunity are reviewed in detail, bringing out the current clinical progress in each of those areas. Even though they stand to be a promising solution for cancer therapy, it is necessary to understand their biodegradation and in vivo toxicity before their extensive clinical usage.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most frequent cancers in the world, which is ranked the fourth most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. GC is often diagnosed at a progressive phase when the majority of patients are ineligible for remedial therapies in this stage. In addition, the existing systemic chemotherapy exhibits low efficiency and minimum survival benefits. Nowadays, GC therapy is multidisciplinary and multiple option strategies are well-known; therefore, the present study reviewed new insights into chemotherapy agents and various alternative strategies, such as neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy, nanotherapy, and natural medicines, which are suggested for GC treatment. Moreover, we evaluated current surgical techniques such as endoscopic and laparoscopic resection. We also summarized current findings in pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention, and screening approaches in GC.

Aim & Objective: This article aims at understanding the gradual development of cancer systems medicine and how it provides a better therapeutic strategy (in terms of drug selection, dose and duration) and, thus, improves patients' care. Hence, this study focuses on understanding the need and the evolving nature of the analytical models for assessing the outcome of different cancer therapeutics. Background: At present, cancer is viewed from a quantitative standpoint; hence, several analytical models on different cancers have been developed. Mathematical oncology has contributed significantly - from drawing the hypothesis of cancer development to therapeutic advantage. Using fewer variables, models in this area have successfully synchronized the model output with real-life dynamical data. However, with the availability of large scale data for different cancers, the systems biology approach has gained importance. It provides biomedical insights among a large number of variables and to get information for clinically relevant variables, especially the controlling variable(s), cancer systems medicine is suggested. Methods: In this article, we have reviewed the gradual development of the field from mathematical oncology to cancer systems biology to cancer systems medicine. An intensive search with PubMed, IEEE Xplorer and Google for cancer model, analytical model, and cancer systems biology was made and the latest developments have been noted. Results: Gradual development of cancer systems biology entails the importance of developing models towards a unified model of cancer treatment. For this, the model should be flexible so that different types of cancer and/or its therapy can be included within the same model. With the existing knowledge, relevant variables are included in the same model, followed by simulation studies that will enrich the knowledge base further. In the future, such a deductive approach through the modelling and simulations efforts can not only aid in overcoming the challenges in different individual cancer cases but also help to tackle the drug adversities in individual patients. This approach may help to tune with the fourth industrial revolution in the health sector. Conclusion: Towards the development of a unified modelling effort, a multi-scale modelling approach could be suitable; so that different researchers across the globe can add their contributions to enrich the same model. Moreover, with this, the identification of controlling variables may be possible. Towards this goal, the middle-out rationalist approach (MORA) is working on analytical models for cancer treatment.

Introduction: Agave angustifolia Haw. is a commercial crop grown in the highlands of Oaxaca State (Southern Mexico), a semi-arid region that belongs to the Agavaceae family, and it contains a variety of bioactive compounds that are linked to various biological activities. Methods: The purpose of this study was to assess the antioxidant and anticancer potential of Agave angustifolia extract (AAE). AAE contained phenolic compounds, saponins, and fatty acids, which are responsible for antioxidant and anticancer activity, according to the GCMS analysis. Results and Discussion: AAE exhibited antioxidant activity based on hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays (IC50 value of 203.00 μg/ ml) and anticancer activity (IC50 value of 82.70 ± 1.458 μg/ ml) compared with standard drug (Doxorubicin), which shows lower inhibitory rate than extract against HeLa CCL-2 cancer cell line. Conclusion: In this study, the chemical constituents and biological properties of AAE were determined.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Indeed, we need a novel tumor marker other than AFP for early detection and to improve the outcome. Serum thioredoxin is a promising protein involved in the pathogenesis of many malignancies. The study aims to evaluate serum thioredoxin and its gene polymorphism in HCC in cirrhotic patients due to HCV infection. Patients and Methods: 350 patients with HCC, 350 patients with chronic liver diseases, and 300 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. Serum thioredoxin level was measured by ELISA, and molecular study of thioredoxin domain-containing 5 (TXNDC5) gene polymorphism (rs1225943) polymorphism using real-time polymerase chain reaction by Taqman allele discrimination was done for all subjects. Results: Our study revealed a significant increase in serum thioredoxin levels in patients with HCC compared to chronic liver diseases and healthy controls. Using the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve at the area under the curve (AUC) 0.917 and a cut-off value of > 14.6 U/ml, our overall sensitivity and specificity for the HCC group over the other groups were 86 % and 92.15%, respectively with 92.2% positive predictive value and 54.9% negative predictive value. The molecular study of TXNDC5 gene polymorphism (rs1225943) polymorphism revealed no significant difference between the studied groups. Conclusion: Serum thioredoxin may be used as a promising tumor marker for HCC. Future research is needed to assess its use as a single or combined with other markers in the diagnosis and follow-up of the patients after interventions.

Background: Recent investigations have demonstrated that metformin treatment can decrease tumor incidence and growth using cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis pathway. However, it is not clear how metformin affects the factors involved in the apoptotic process. Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effect of metformin on Bak, Bad, and Bim proapoptotic proteins using docking and dynamics simulation studies. Methods: The 3D structure of molecules was retrieved from PubChem and RCSB servers. Simulation and docking studies were conducted by Gromacs and AutoDock software. Next, molecular dynamics analysis was performed using Gromacs software. Moreover, LigPlot+V.4.5.3 software was applied for the determination of the hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions at the binding sites. Results: Our findings demonstrated that metformin has the highest affinity for binding the Bak protein. This binding occurred using four amino acid residues within the binding site of Bak with the minimum binding energy (-5.70 kcal/mol). The molecular docking of metformin to these proapoptotic factors significantly decreased the total energy and increased the coil secondary structure of Bak protein. Conclusion: According to our findings, metformin can alter the molecular dynamics property of these proteins, which results in increased activity of these pro-apoptotic proteins and induction of apoptosis.