Healthcare Corporation of America, Department of Ophthalmology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Hudson, FL 34667, USA.
Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, FL 33027, USA.
Pharmacol Ther. 2023 Aug;248:108479. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108479. Epub 2023 Jun 15.
Ocular cancers represent a rare pathology. The American Cancer Society estimates that 3,360 cases of ocular cancer occur annually in the United States. The major types of cancers of the eye include ocular melanoma (also known as uveal melanoma), ocular lymphoma, retinoblastoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. While uveal melanoma is one of the primary intraocular cancers with the highest occurrence in adults, retinoblastoma remains the most common primary intraocular cancer in children, and squamous cell carcinoma presents as the most common conjunctival cancer. The pathophysiology of these diseases involves specific cell signaling pathways. Oncogene mutations, tumor suppressor mutations, chromosome deletions/translocations and altered proteins are all described as causal events in developing ocular cancer. Without proper identification and treatment of these cancers, vision loss, cancer spread, and even death can occur. The current treatments for these cancers involve enucleation, radiation, excision, laser treatment, cryotherapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. These treatments present a significant burden to the patient that includes a possible loss of vision and a myriad of side effects. Therefore, alternatives to traditional therapy are urgently needed. Intercepting the signaling pathways for these cancers with the use of naturally occurring phytochemicals could be a way to relieve both cancer burden and perhaps even prevent cancer occurrence. This research aims to present a comprehensive review of the signaling pathways involved in various ocular cancers, discuss current therapeutic options, and examine the potential of bioactive phytocompounds in the prevention and targeted treatment of ocular neoplasms. The current limitations, challenges, pitfalls, and future research directions are also discussed.
眼部癌症是一种罕见的疾病。美国癌症协会估计，美国每年有 3360 例眼部癌症病例。眼部癌症的主要类型包括眼部黑色素瘤（也称为葡萄膜黑色素瘤）、眼部淋巴瘤、视网膜母细胞瘤和鳞状细胞癌。虽然葡萄膜黑色素瘤是成人中发病率最高的主要眼内癌症之一，但视网膜母细胞瘤仍然是儿童中最常见的原发性眼内癌症，鳞状细胞癌则是最常见的结膜癌。这些疾病的病理生理学涉及特定的细胞信号通路。癌基因突变、肿瘤抑制基因突变、染色体缺失/易位和异常蛋白都被描述为导致眼部癌症发生的因果事件。如果不能正确识别和治疗这些癌症，可能会导致视力丧失、癌症扩散，甚至死亡。目前治疗这些癌症的方法包括眼球摘除术、放疗、切除术、激光治疗、冷冻疗法、免疫疗法和化疗。这些治疗方法给患者带来了巨大的负担，包括可能失去视力和各种副作用。因此，迫切需要替代传统疗法。利用天然存在的植物化学物质阻断这些癌症的信号通路可能是减轻癌症负担甚至预防癌症发生的一种方法。本研究旨在全面综述各种眼部癌症涉及的信号通路，讨论当前的治疗选择，并探讨生物活性植物化合物在预防和靶向治疗眼部肿瘤方面的潜力。还讨论了当前的局限性、挑战、陷阱和未来的研究方向。
