Title:A Review on Novel Breast Cancer Therapies: Photodynamic Therapy and Plant Derived Agent Induced Cell Death Mechanisms
Volume: 16
Issue: 7
Author(s): Blassan Plackal Adimuriyil George and Heidi Abrahamse
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Apoptosis, breast cancer, cancer treatment, cell cycle, photodynamic therapy, plant derived agents.
Abstract: This review article presents an extensive examination of risk factors for breast cancer, treatment
strategies with special attention to photodynamic therapy and natural product based treatments. Breast cancer
remains the most commonly occurring cancer in women worldwide and the detection, treatment, and prevention
are prominent concerns in public health. Background information on current developments in treatment helps to
update the approach towards risk assessment. Breast cancer risk is linked to many factors such as hereditary,
reproductive and lifestyle factors. Minimally invasive Photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be used in the
management of various cancers; it uses a light sensitive drug (a photosensitizer, PS) and a light of visible
wavelength, to destroy targeted cancer cells. State of the art analyses has been carried out to investigate
advancement in the search for the cure and control of cancer progression using natural products. Traditional
medicinal plants have been used as lead compounds for drug discovery in modern medicine. Both PDT and plant derived drugs induce
cell death via different mechanisms including apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, cell cycle regulation and even the regulation of various cell
signalling pathways.
