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ISSN: 2161-1025
ISSN: 2161-1025
Anirban Roy, Manju Ray and Kuladip Jana
Therapy resistance and relapse is the worst prognostic outcome of cancer and is attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells in the tumor mass. Cancer stem cells survive the cytotoxic effects of commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation which targets and eradicates non cancer stem cells reducing the tumor bulk but is unable to stop tumor recurrence. Cancer stem cells re-initiate the evolutionary conserved embryonic signaling pathways such as Wnt, Hedgehog and Notch thereby endowing themselves with properties of pluripotency, self renewal and maintenance, activate DNA damage repair systems opposing effects of radiation and express energy driven drug efflux pumps expelling chemothepeutic drugs. Development of new therapeutic strategies aiming self sustained, self renewed, apoptosis surviving, aberrantly proliferating therapy resistant cancer stem cells and minimizing long term side effects may provide cure and better 5 year survival rate is the ultimate goal which instigate screening, designing and understanding the roles of different physiologically tolerant compounds that can affect the stem cell program. Phytochemicals like Vitamin D3, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, Sulforaphanes, Genistein, Curcumin, Cyclopamine, Retinoic acid, Resveratrol, Parthenolide and Quercetin often found in our diet are known for their anti inflammatory and anti oxidative properties and are being studied for their anti cancer stem cell activities. Recent revelation showing inhibition of self renewal and proliferation signaling and promotion of apoptosis in cancer stem cells by these bioactive compounds has prompted the need of more advanced research to comprehend the molecular mechanisms involved, ascertaining accurate dosage and nullify negative drug interactions if any providing new insights in the field of cancer prevention by dietary phytochemicals.