The Potential Role of Nutrition in Lung Cancer Establishment and Progression.

Chiara Porro,Giuseppe Cibelli,Tarek Benameur,Nicola Tartaglia,Maria Ester La Torre,Gaetana Messina,Giovanni Messina,Mario Santini,Antonio Ambrosi,Alfonso Fiorelli,Rita Polito

doi:10.3390/life12020270

Chiara Porro, Giuseppe Cibelli + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/life12020270

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Abstract

Lung cancer is a devastating disease with a high incidence and low survival rates, so recent studies have focused on analyzing the risk factors that might prevent this disease from developing or have protective/therapeutic effects. Nutrition is an important key factor in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Various factors appear to be involved in the development of the latter, such as cigarette smoking or certain external environmental factors. The increase in oxidative stress is therefore an integral part of the carcinogenesis process. The biological role of bioactive factors derived from adipose tissue, mainly adipokines, is implicated in various cancers, and an increasing body of evidence has shown that certain adipocytokines contribute to the development, progression and prognosis of lung cancer. Not all adipokines stimulate tumor growth; in fact, adiponectin inhibits carcinogenesis by regulating both cell growth and the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Adiponectin expression is deregulated in several cancer types. Many nutritional factors have been shown to increase adiponectin levels and therefore could be used as a new therapeutic strategy for combating lung cancer. In addition, foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties play a key role in the prevention of many human diseases, including lung cancer. The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of diet in lung cancer in order to recommend dietary habit and lifestyle changes to prevent or treat this pathology.

Highlights

Lung cancer (LC) remains the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with 14.1 million new cancer cases and 8.2 million deaths annually [1]
Lung cancer is divided into two main subtypes, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the latter accounting for 85–90% of all LC cases [6]
This review aims to clarify the role of nutrition, with particular attention paid to antiinflammatory and antioxidant foods for the prevention and/or treatment of lung cancer

Summary

Introduction

Lung cancer (LC) remains the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with 14.1 million new cancer cases and 8.2 million deaths annually [1]. The response to current cytotoxic therapies has reached a plateau in terms of response rate and survival [6] This pathology has been considered as a monofactorial disease, but recently, due to the heterogeneity of this pathology, it is believed that lung cancer is characterized by several phenotypes, rendering it a complex syndrome. An unbalanced diet plays a potential role in altering adipose tissue, stimulating adipokine secretion, and in the development and progression of lung cancer [13]. It is a key mediator for several cancer-related processes, such as cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, the regulation of tumor cell invasion and angiogenesis. This review aims to clarify the role of nutrition, with particular attention paid to antiinflammatory and antioxidant foods for the prevention and/or treatment of lung cancer

Oxidative Stress and Lung Cancer

Adiponectin and Lung Cancer

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Foods to Prevent Cancer

Foods and Lung Cancer

Findings

Conclusions