title: Natural products as potential cancer therapy enhancers: A preclinical update.
abstract: Cancer is a multifactorial disease that arises as a consequence of alterations in many physiological processes. Recently, hallmarks of cancer were suggested that include sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, and activating invasion and metastasis, along with two emerging hallmarks including reprogramming energy metabolism and escaping immune destruction. Treating multifactorial diseases, such as cancer with agents targeting a single target, might provide partial treatment and, in many cases, disappointing cure rates. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Since ancient times, plants, herbs, and other natural products have been used as healing agents. Moreover, the majority of the medicinal substances available today have their origin in natural compounds. Traditionally, pharmaceuticals are used to cure diseases, and nutrition and herbs are used to prevent disease and to provide an optimal balance of macro- and micro-nutrients needed for good health. We explored the combination of natural products, dietary nutrition, and cancer chemotherapeutics for improving the efficacy of cancer chemotherapeutics and negating side effects.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Oncology Clinic, Division of Oncology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Abed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agbarya
authors.affiliation: Cancer Drug Discovery Program, MIGAL-Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona, Israel.
authors.forename: Nili
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruimi
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Oncology Clinic, Division of Oncology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Epelbaum
authors.affiliation: Complementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service, Lin Medical center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa and Western Galilee District, Israel.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Arye
authors.affiliation: Cancer Drug Discovery Program, MIGAL-Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona, Israel; Department of Nutritional Sciences, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel.
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahajna
keywords: Cancer; cancer therapy; herbs; natural products; nutrition