Our current understanding of cancer is largely informed by biologists Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg, who published “Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation”, one of the most often cited papers in the field of oncology. The paper outlines the ten hallmarks of cancer that are now widely accepted and utilized by researchers around the world to understand tumorigenesis and the microenvironment of neoplastic disease. The majority of Chapter 3 (“Understanding Cancer Biology”) of the Textbook of Naturopathic Oncology delves into this critical framework. In addition to providing concise overviews of these cancer hallmarks, the chapter includes comprehensive lists of naturopathic therapies whose mechanisms of action directly address these drivers of cancer.
Below are partial snapshots of just a few of the tables that can be found in Chapter 3.
Natural agents that target the major growth factor families, including endothelial growth factor (EGF), that drive cancer’s ability to sustain proliferation (hallmark #1):
Natural agents which have shown efficacy at promoting apoptotic pathways, decreasing cancer’s ability to resist cell death (hallmark #3):
Natural agents that dampen or regulate angiogenesis (hallmark #5):
Agents that combat chronic inflammation (hallmark #8):
