Bioactive Compounds as Therapeutic Intervention in Mucocutaneous Cancers

Abstract

There are several beneficial effects of plant bioactive compounds in theevidence-based prevention and treatment of mucocutaneous cancers. For instance,several bioactive compounds via various antioxidant and immunomodulatorymechanisms have been shown to positively improve different diseases, includingcancer. Considering the complex, multifactorial processes that regulate genetic andcellular function in cancer development, the use of small phytochemical moleculescapable of targeting multiple carcinogenetic genes and pathways is plausible. Furthermore, the identification of molecular targets and cognate dietary bioactivemolecules in mucocutaneous cancer, using applied combinatorial chemistryapproaches, potentially presents a key complementary ancillary tool for developingrobust, physiologically bioavailable, diversity-oriented, and cost-effective therapies.These systems biology and omics-based theragnostic tools are crucial for themanagement of cancers that affect the oral mucous membranes and skin in a resourcelimitedsetting. Natural products and nutraceuticals are poised to ameliorate the burdenof mucocutaneous cancers and improve the drug discovery pipelines if state-of-the-artresearch techniques are used to elucidate their therapeutic values in the era of precisionmedicine. Hence, this review focuses on the currently available and potentialtherapeutic benefits of plant bioactive compounds in the prevention and management ofmucocutaneous cancers.