Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Breast Cancer and Role of Plant Products in Targeted Therapy

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC), the leading cause of female mortality worldwide, is caused by multiple signaling pathways. This chapter discusses major pathways underlying the cancer pathogenesis, namely, Notch pathway, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Hedgehog pathway, NF-κB pathway, receptor tyrosine kinase pathway, Ras/MEK/Raf/ERK signaling pathway, AKT/phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway, PI3Ks Class I, PI3Ks Class II and III, c-JUN NH2-terminal kinase pathway, heat shock protein 90 signaling pathway, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 signaling pathway, angiogenesis pathway, estrogen receptor signaling pathway, mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, and protein kinase C pathway. All these pathways are misregulated in BC conditions and their misregulation can be controlled by pharmacological inhibitors. Since chemical drugs or inhibitors may have some side effects and cancer cells may develop drug resistivity, a need for the study of medicinal plants, their extracts, and polyherbal formulae is warranted. Thus, this chapter is planned to focus on the various plants and their extracts that show remarkable anticancer activity. Further, it discusses about the role of pure phytochemicals like flavonoids, semisynthetic flavonoids and phenols, and polyphenols in controlling BC. This chapter will help to establish medicinal plant therapy as an effective alternative to improve the existing chemotherapy and to reduce drug-induced toxicity. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.