Department of Medical Oncology II, "Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu" Institute of Oncology, 022328 Bucharest, Romania.
Department of Physiology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania.
Molecules. 2020 Dec 28;26(1):94. doi: 10.3390/molecules26010094.
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a group of diseases with very high positions in the ranking of cancer incidence and mortality. While they show common features regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in cancer development, organ-specific pathophysiological processes may trigger distinct signaling pathways and intricate interactions with inflammatory cells from the tumoral milieu and mediators involved in tumorigenesis. The treatment of GI cancers is a topic of increasing interest due to the severity of these diseases, their impact on the patients' survivability and quality of life, and the burden they set on the healthcare system. As the efficiency of existing drugs is hindered by chemoresistance and adverse reactions when administered in high doses, new therapies are sought, and emerging drugs, formulations, and substance synergies are the focus of a growing number of studies. A class of chemicals with great potential through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumoral effects is phytochemicals, and capsaicin in particular is the subject of intensive research looking to validate its position in complementing cancer treatment. Our paper thoroughly reviews the available scientific evidence concerning the effects of capsaicin on major GI cancers and its interactions with the molecular pathways involved in the course of these diseases.
胃肠道（GI）癌症是一组在癌症发病率和死亡率排名中非常高的疾病。虽然它们在涉及癌症发展的分子机制方面表现出共同特征，但特定于器官的病理生理过程可能会引发不同的信号通路，并与肿瘤微环境中的炎症细胞以及参与肿瘤发生的介质发生复杂相互作用。由于这些疾病的严重性、对患者生存能力和生活质量的影响以及它们给医疗保健系统带来的负担，GI 癌症的治疗是一个日益受到关注的话题。由于现有药物的效率受到化疗耐药性和高剂量给药时不良反应的限制，因此正在寻求新的治疗方法，新兴药物、制剂和物质协同作用是越来越多研究的重点。具有抗炎、抗氧化和抗肿瘤作用的一类具有巨大潜力的化学物质是植物化学物质，特别是辣椒素，它是密集研究的主题，旨在验证其在补充癌症治疗中的地位。我们的论文全面回顾了有关辣椒素对主要胃肠道癌症的影响及其与这些疾病过程中涉及的分子途径相互作用的现有科学证据。
