The use of flavonoids in skin cancer prevention and treatment

Abstract

Introduction and objective Known for their strong antioxidant properties, flavonoids are the major polyphenolic compounds found in a wide variety of plants, vegetables, and fruits. A growing number of reports has indicated their anticancer effect. Affecting numerous cellular pathways, polyphenols suppress carcinogenesis which allows for new strategies developed to fight skin cancer. Given the high morbidity and mortality rates due to skin cancer, the aim of the review is to summarize earlier studies on the role of flavonoids in skin cancer prevention and treatment. Review methods A search was conducted using the PubMed databases. Using keywords related to flavonoids and skin cancer, articles in Polish and English were manually searched. Duplicate papers were removed, and the bibliographies of selected studies as well as bibliographies from other reviews were reviewed in order to incorporate additional relevant studies into the review. Brief description of the state of knowledge Flavonoids are effective immunomodulators since they modulate cell growth, induce apoptosis, and reduce reactive oxygen species production. They have DNA repair abilities that can be used to prevent various skin diseases caused by excessive sun exposure. They can prevent, postpone, or completely stop photocarcinogenesis. Summary Because of their effect on numerous cellular pathways, flavonoids have been studied extensively to confirm their preventive and therapeutic potential in skin cancer. Flavonoids have been shown in studies to shrink cancerous tumours and prevent metastasis. Their use in prevention and anticancer therapies may contribute to lower skin cancer mortality rates.

Keywords

• melanoma
• antioxidants
• skin cancer
• flavonoids
• cellular pathway