Current Cancer Therapy Reviews - Volume 19, Issue 3, 2023

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides that act by targeting translational and post-translational modifications, epigenetic regulators, and chromatin remodeling complexes. There has been increasing evidence that the lncRNA X-inactive specific transcript (lncRNA Xist) via targeting miRNAs and transcription factors plays a critical role in cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. This lncRNA also has an important role in the progression of tumors and other human diseases by acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). Accumulating evidence revealed that lncRNA Xist by targeting several signaling pathways is involved in the pathogenesis of gynecologic cancers. In this review, we focused on the recent functions of lncRNA Xist in breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers.

In the last few decades, cancer has affected people globally and is the most minacious disease that affects human body cells. It is a prominent cause of death. Cancer can affect anyone anywhere in the body. Most ordinary cancers are lung, colorectal, prostate, breast, etc. There are various options for the treatment of cancer, such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or hormonal therapy, but the adverse effects may be harmful and can vary considerably depending on the health outcomes of the person. Many studies have recently focused on herbal species for anticancer purposes. Several herbal components and their analogues are mostly recognised as crucial anticancer factors. However, different plants have anticancer properties. Various medicinal herbs were revealed to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. This study shows that herbal goods with related analogues are cancer-resistant compounds with in vivo or in vitro anticancer effects. His study aims to demonstrate the herbal products with related analogues as cancer-resistant compounds as novel species with in vivo or in vitro anticancer effects. This review has focused on several natural anticancer substances, besides several other organic products. Most herbs seemed to progress through the process of anti-cancer. An herbal compound analysis is often valuable for discovering new pharmacologically important materials with special pathways. It can be noted that to provide nature’s variability, chemically, components that can be associated with most targeted therapies are often developed.

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death among men and women and a highly prevalent cause of mortality among women. Having sexual relations at a young age, having multiple sex partners, multiple pregnancies, long-term use of birth control pills, receiving a kidney transplant, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the major risk factors of cervical cancer. Although the risk of cervical cancer has recently increased, its mortality rate has declined. This study aimed to review cervical cancer, its epidemiology, etiology, treatment methods, and various chemical plant- and microorganism-derived drugs. Material and Methods: Complete information collection was performed by reading most of the available articles. Results: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer, and the best way to prevent it is vaccination between the ages of 9 and 11 years, screening women and, more importantly, educating girls. One of the easiest methods to screen for this disease is Pap tests and HPV genotyping (high-risk strains 16 and 18). Cervical cancer is asymptomatic in the early stages, but after spreading to other parts of the body, it causes symptoms, such as bleeding, pelvic pain, and dyspareunia. Cervical cancer treatment is based on the stage of the disease and the involvement of other parts of the body. In general, however, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hysterectomy are among the common treatments for cervical cancer. Each of these methods has its side effects; for instance, chemotherapy destroys healthy as well as cancer cells. Conclusion: Nowadays, with molecular knowledge, new drugs have been developed that are free from the side effects of cancer treatment methods and only affect cancer cells. All the results have been reviewed and compiled.

Background: The North East (NE) India region has a quite distinct gene pool with over 160 scheduled tribes and 400 other sub-tribal populations. This region is the fourth contributor to the gene pool of the Indian sub-continent, which has associations with Tibeto-Burman speakers and Austro-Asiatic speakers settled in East and NE-India with Asian ties. Methods: Literature search and studies have shown that in India, notwithstanding the lack of data on population coverage, there exists no such evidence for a decline in age-standardized mortality rates in cancer and the number of deaths mostly in individuals less than 70 years. Results: Analytical epidemiological studies using molecular markers are currently the need of NEIndia for prognostication of cancers in this region, which are quite different from the rest of India, such as esophageal cancer, lung cancer in females, stomach cancer, and nasopharyngeal cancers. In addition, there is a dire need for translational research in NE-India, as for cancer survival, it is not always feasible to generalize the current international guidelines for cancer to the population of NEIndia so that high survival rates are achieved just like the rest of India and high-income rich countries. Factors, such as difference in incidence rate, socioeconomic factors, tumor biology and availability of resource in this region, determine the survival rates. Conclusion: In this review, various factors involved in the high cancer burden in this region are discussed, particularly focusing on the genetic basis.

To kill cancer cells, photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizes a light-sensitive medication and light. Light-sensitive drugs are absorbed by cancerous cells. The cells are then illuminated with a specific light or laser by a specialist and oxygen that destroys cancer cells is released. The present study aims to discuss the roles, advancements, and limitations of photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment. Photosensitizers and photosensitizing agents are used in photodynamic treatment to destroy cancer cells. Lasers or other light sources, such as LEDs, may provide illumination. There are reports of a novel nanoplatform for the treatment of HER2-overexpressed breast cancer, as well as other primary and metastatic cancers, using fluorescent electron microscopy PDT/photothermal therapy (PTT) dualtherapy. PDT has a significant benefit over conventional cancer therapies because it may cause fewer adverse effects. PDT-induced immunostimulatory cell death and the production of a robust local inflammatory response might lead to effective local anticancer therapy. PDT has a lower long-term morbidity and recovery time than surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) holds just about 15% of all breast tumours and subtypes of breast cancer with distinct characteristics of negative expressions for the progesterone receptor, estrogen receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Unfortunately, treatment options for TNBCs are minimal. Most currently available therapies proved inefficient in holding back this aggressive natural treatment of TNBC, in most cases calling for an immediate need for more effective and safer anti-TNBC agents. Based on research reported in recent years, this review presents the report's overview of anti-TNBC compounds and their efficacy, being classified according to the structures. Breast Cancer type 1 and type 2 genes (BRCA1/2) mutations are associated with TNBC. Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerases (PARPs) are a family of enzymes involved in numerous cellular processes, including DNA repair. PARP-1 inhibition is involved in the loss of DNA repair via BRCA-dependent mechanisms. PARP-1 inhibitors like Olaparib, Rucaparib, Niraparib, and Talazoparib have proved as promising therapeutic medications as monotherapy and in combination with cytotoxic therapy or radiotherapy in various types of cancers. This review is focused on presenting the status of therapeutics against TNBC. The critical spotlight of this review is to encapsulate the versatility and notable success of heterocyclic pharmacophores-based molecules in treating TNBC.

Aim: The aim of this work is to evaluate the role of multiphasic CT and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI using LI-RADS treatment response algorithm (version 2018) and the added values of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in the assessment of loco-Regional ablated Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Methods: This study included 45 patients with 50 loco-Regional ablated HCC lesions. All patients underwent multiphasic CT scan, diffusion weighted and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI. The reference standards for assessment were based on serum alpha-fetoprotein level and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI. Results: Multi-phasic CT had moderate sensitivity (87.5%) and high specificity (100%) for assessment of HCC LI-RADS treatment response algorithm. Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI had high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) for the assessment of HCC LI-RADS treatment response algorithm. The sensitivity and specificity of DWI to diagnose HCC malignant residual or recurrence were 93.7% and 100%, respectively, with very good performance. The mean ADC values of the malignant residual or recurrence were significantly lower than that of benign post-ablation tissue changes areas and the best ADC cutoff value for differentiation between viable and nonviable lesions was 1.1x10^-3 mm²/s. Conclusion: Performance of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI is better than that of multiphasic CT in the assessment of LIRADS treatment response algorithm. DWI and ADC maps could be used as ancillary methods for differentiation between viable and non-viable loco-regional ablated HCC lesions and should be included in LR-TR treatment response algorithm.