Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2011 Jun 1;236(6):658-71. doi: 10.1258/ebm.2011.011028. Epub 2011 May 12.
Cancer is a disease characterized by dysregulation of multiple genes and is associated with symptoms such as cachexia, anorexia, fatigue, depression, neuropathic pain, anxiety, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders and delirium (acute confusion state) in medically ill patients. These symptoms are caused by either the cancer itself or the cancer treatment. During the past decade, increasing evidence has shown that the dysregulation of inflammatory pathways contributes to the expression of these symptoms. Cancer patients have been found to have higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6. The nuclear factor (NF)-κB is a major mediator of inflammatory pathways. Therefore, anti-inflammatory agents that can modulate the NF-κB activation and inflammatory pathways may have potential in improving cancer-related symptoms in patients. Because of their multitargeting properties, low cost, low toxicity and immediate availability, natural agents have gained considerable attention for prevention and treatment of cancer-related symptoms. How NF-κB and inflammatory pathways contribute to cancer-related symptoms is the focus of this review. We will also discuss how nutritional agents such as curcumin, genistein, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate and lycopene can modulate inflammatory pathways and thereby reduce cancer-related symptoms in patients.
癌症是一种由多个基因失调引起的疾病，与医学疾病患者的恶病质、厌食、疲劳、抑郁、神经性疼痛、焦虑、认知障碍、睡眠障碍和谵妄（急性意识混乱状态）等症状有关。这些症状要么是由癌症本身引起的，要么是由癌症治疗引起的。在过去的十年中，越来越多的证据表明，炎症途径的失调导致了这些症状的表达。研究发现，癌症患者体内的促炎细胞因子（如白细胞介素-6）水平较高。核因子（NF）-κB 是炎症途径的主要介质。因此，能够调节 NF-κB 激活和炎症途径的抗炎药物可能具有改善患者癌症相关症状的潜力。由于其多靶点特性、低成本、低毒性和即时可用性，天然药物在预防和治疗癌症相关症状方面引起了相当大的关注。NF-κB 和炎症途径如何导致癌症相关症状是本综述的重点。我们还将讨论姜黄素、染料木黄酮、白藜芦醇、表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯和番茄红素等营养剂如何调节炎症途径，从而减轻患者的癌症相关症状。
