PERSPECTIVES AND PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC APPROACHES IN BREAST NEOPLASMS: A SCOPE REVIEW (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Context: Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and also the main cause of death in women, with millions of new cases annually. More individualized and less invasive therapeutic approaches have been developed, such as combined therapy, which uses bioactive phytochemicals from medicinal plants in conjunction with conventional therapies, an important strategy in the fight against breast cancer. Objective: To review the perspectives of the herbal approach to breast neoplasia, analyzing in vitro and in vivo studies of medicinal plants. Methods: To this end, the model proposed by the PRISMA platform was followed, and bibliographic research was conducted in the Pubmed databases and in the virtual library of the Universidade Tiradentes de Sergipe (UNIT/SE) using eligibility criteria that included articles published in English, addressing the specific topic published in the years 2018 to 2023. Results: Various compounds and plant extracts such as (-)-epicatechin, thymoquinone, curcumin, berberine, palmatine, cannabis sativa, were investigated and considered beneficial for their anti-tumor, anti-proliferative properties and pro-apoptotic, as well as its ability to modulate fundamental cellular processes and control breast cancer tumor progression. Conclusion: There was increasing evidence of the therapeutic potential of natural compounds in the treatment of breast cancer. However, bioavailability and clinical efficacy are still challenges that require future research.