Tocotrienols: inflammation and cancer
Inflammation is an organism's response to
environmental assaults. It can be classified as acute inflammation that leads to
therapeutic recovery or chronic inflammation, which may lead to the development
of cancer and other ailments. Genetic changes that occur within cancer cells
themselves are responsible for many aspects of cancer development but are
dependent on ancillary processes for tumor promotion and progression.
Inflammation has long been associated with the development of cancer. The
distinct characteristics of cancer cells to proliferate, metastasize, evade
apoptotic signals, and develop chemoresistance have been linked to the
inflammatory response. Due to the involvement of multiple genes and various
pathways, current drugs that target single genes have not been effective in
providing a therapeutic cure. On the other hand, natural products target
multiple genes and therefore have better success compared to drugs.
Tocotrienols, the potent isoforms of vitamin E, are such a natural product. This
review will discuss the relationship between cancer and inflammation
with particular focus on the roles played by NF-κB, STAT3, and COX-2.