title: Endocannabinoids and Cancer.
abstract: A large body of evidence shows that cannabinoids, in addition to their well-known palliative effects on some cancer-associated symptoms, can reduce tumour growth in animal models of cancer. They do so by modulating key cell signalling pathways involved in the control of cancer cell proliferation and survival. In addition, cannabinoids inhibit angiogenesis and cell proliferation in different types of tumours in laboratory animals. By contrast, little is known about the biological role of the endocannabinoid system in cancer physio-pathology, and several studies suggest that it may be over-activated in cancer. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of cannabinoids as antitumour agents, focusing on recent advances in the molecular mechanisms of action, including resistance mechanisms and opportunities for combination therapy approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain. gvelasco@quim.ucm.es.|Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain. gvelasco@quim.ucm.es.|Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain. gvelasco@quim.ucm.es.|Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain. gvelasco@quim.ucm.es.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.|Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain.|Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.|Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.|Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain.|Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzmán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063386:Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D063386:Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid
keywords: Angiogenesis; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Cancer; Cannabinoid; Cell proliferation; Cell signalling; Combinational therapy