20 Functional Foods Containing Phytonutrients in Breast Cancer Treatment

Preclinical studies have provided increasing evidence of the beneficial effects of phytochemicals on several cancer-related biological pathways in recent years. Phytochemicals may have positive effects on various processes, including cell signaling, cell cycle regulation, inflammation and oxidative stress response. Non-coding RNAs can be modulated by these phytochemicals, leading to upregulation of tumor suppressive miRNAs and downregulation of oncogenic miRNAs. Such effects synergistically inhibit the growth of cancer cells and prevent self-renewal of cancer stem cells. The potential clinical use of the phytochemicals is discussed in the context of chemoprevention and treatment for human breast cancer, providing pertinent examples. It is hypothesized that the significant anti-tumor activity of plant-based functional foods results from the combination of various phytochemicals, rather than an isolated agent. The combination of phytochemicals with diverse biological properties found in whole foods could potentially produce synergistic or additive effects on carcinogenesis. It is crucial in clinical settings to contrast the impact of singular phytochemicals with that of the combination of phytochemicals found in particular plant-based functional foods. In this chapter, the hypothesis that whole plant-derived foods containing a diverse range of phytochemicals with various biological activities could have additive or synergistic effects in combatting breast cancer is discussed.