HIGHLIGHTS
- Natural agents in combination with other existing therapies
for HNC
- Benefits of Phytochemicals alone or as adjuvants in HNC
- Limitations of translation of phytochemicals from bench to
bedside
- Strategies to overcome critical issues associated with
clinical application
ABSTRACT
Cancer treatment has come a long way owing to the developments in
various therapeutic modalities from discovery of various anticancer
drugs, technological innovations in delivery to personalized treatments.
Despite this, Head & Neck Cancer [HNC] is one such cancer that has
eluded conventional treatments. To improves the quality of life and
preserve vital organ function in patients focus is on therapeutic
regimes which would reduce the toxicity. However, use of single approach
has not been enough to completely eradicate this malignancy. Therefore,
use of adjuvants and combinatorial approaches with molecules from
natural compounds which have no or minimal side effects is a growing
area of research.
In this review we have discussed the potentiality of phytochemicals as
adjuvants with chemo or radio therapy as well as nano-formulation as
novel therapeutic strategy. We have also tried to delineate the
associated challenges in clinical application of these therapies in HNC.