Abstract
Despite the extensive knowledge on cancer nature acquired over the last years, the high incidence of this disease evidences a need for new approaches that complement the clinical intervention of tumors. Interestingly, many types of cancer are closely related to dietary habits associated with the Western lifestyle, such as low fruit and vegetable intake. Recent advances around the old-conceived term of chemoprevention highlight the important role of phytochemicals as good candidates for the prevention or treatment of cancer. The potential to inhibit angiogenesis exhibited by many natural compounds constituent of plant foods makes them especially interesting for their use as chemopreventive agents. Here, we review the antitumoral potential, with a focus on the antiangiogenic effects, of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, such as quercetin or myricetin; terpenoids, such as ursolic acid or kahweol; and anthraquinones from Aloe vera, in different in vitro and in vivo assays, and the available clinical data. Although clinical trials have failed to assess the preventive role of many of these compounds, encouraging preclinical data support the efficacy of phytochemicals constituent of diet in the prevention and treatment of cancer, but a deeper understanding of their mechanisms of action and better designed clinical trials are urgently needed.
Highlights
In addition to the above-mentioned polyphenolic phytochemicals, there are some others that deserve special attention due to their high rates of consumption in many countries, especially in those with adherence to the Mediterranean diet [12]. This is the case for resveratrol and hydroxytyrosol [151,152]
The use of nontoxic plant-derived natural compounds as chemopreventive agents in cancer has become an attractive approach in the last years, since it represents a low-cost, accessible, and broad-spectrum alternative to conventional drugs
The high number of bioactive compounds contained in plant foods that display antitumor and antiangiogenic effects in experimental models should prompt us to undoubtedly assess the feasibility of their use in cancer prevention
Summary
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, just below cardiovascular diseases [1,2]. Whereas early detection of cancer is a broadly accepted approach, cancer chemoprevention still remains a matter of debate in the scientific community, mainly due to the heterogenic results obtained from the reported preventive interventions [9]. In this regard, the level at which the specific cancer preventive action is implemented, as well as the targeted population, must be considered [10] (Figure 1):.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
