Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatments but still faces challenges, particularly with response rates plateauing around 20–40%. This is primarily due to the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the lack of required antigen availability. This emphasizes finding agents that can improve these response rates, and curcumin has emerged as a promising natural compound with the potential to reengineer the TME by establishing its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, pro-apoptotic, and anti-angiogenic effects. This review synthesizes the mechanisms by which curcumin affects major oncogenic pathways to synergize with immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and cancer vaccinations. Finally, we discuss future directions, current clinical trials, and bioavailability issues with utilizing curcumin clinically.
免疫疗法已彻底改变癌症治疗模式,但其疗效仍面临挑战,尤其是应答率长期停滞在20-40%区间。这主要归因于肿瘤微环境(TME)的免疫抑制特性及肿瘤抗原呈递不足。因此,寻找能提升免疫应答率的药物至关重要,而姜黄素作为一种天然化合物,通过其抗炎、抗氧化、促凋亡和抗血管生成等多重作用,展现出重塑肿瘤微环境的潜力。本综述系统阐述了姜黄素调控主要致癌通路以增强免疫疗法(包括免疫检查点抑制剂、过继细胞疗法和癌症疫苗)协同作用的分子机制。最后,我们探讨了姜黄素的临床应用前景、现有临床试验进展及其生物利用度问题。
From Spice to Survival: The Emerging Role of Curcumin in Cancer Immunotherapy