ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Phytochemicals in cancer prevention: Current advances, molecular mechanisms and future perspectives
Authors
Pallab Ray
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of
global morbidity and mortality, creating an urgent need for effective, safe,
and affordable preventive strategies. Dietary phytochemicals have emerged as
promising chemopreventive agents because of their structural diversity and
ability to modulate multiple molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis.
This review critically synthesizes current evidence on the role of
phytochemicals in cancer prevention by examining their classification, dietary
sources, molecular mechanisms of action, preclinical findings, clinical
evidence, pharmacological limitations, and emerging translational strategies.
The review encompasses approximately 120 peer-reviewed publications published
between 2010 and 2025, providing a comprehensive overview of advances in this
rapidly evolving field. Major classes of phytochemicals, including polyphenols,
flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, organosulfur compounds, and carotenoids, are
discussed with emphasis on their ability to regulate oxidative stress through
Nrf2 activation, suppress NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signalling, induce cell
cycle arrest, promote apoptosis and autophagy, modulate epigenetic regulation,
inhibit angiogenesis, reduce extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, and
enhance immune surveillance. Despite encouraging preclinical evidence, their
clinical translation remains constrained by poor aqueous solubility, limited
bioavailability, rapid metabolism, physicochemical instability, and
considerable inter-individual pharmacokinetic variability associated with gut
microbiota composition and genetic polymorphisms. Recent advances in
nanotechnology-based delivery systems, multi-omics approaches, artificial
intelligence-assisted drug discovery, and precision nutrition offer promising
strategies to overcome these limitations and improve translational potential.
Collectively, current evidence indicates that phytochemicals represent valuable
complementary agents for cancer prevention; however, robust biomarker-driven clinical
trials and standardized formulations are required to establish their long-term
clinical efficacy and facilitate their integration into evidence-based
precision oncology.
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Pages:38-51
How to cite this article:
Pallab Ray "Phytochemicals in cancer prevention: Current advances, molecular mechanisms and future perspectives". International Journal of Biology Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 38-51
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