The versatile role of curcumin in cancer prevention and treatment: A focus on PI3K/AKT pathway

Despite significant advances in treatment modalities, millions of cancer‐related deaths continue to occur annually, often as a consequence of developing resistance against the range of available chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, available anti‐cancer chemotherapeutic agents show limited efficacy, often have severe side effects, and are expensive. Thus, the discovery of pharmacological agents that do not have these disadvantages is necessary. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric ( Curcumin longa L.), is one such agent that has been widely studied for its anti‐inflammatory and/or anti‐cancer effects. Curcumin exerts its anti‐cancer effect by suppressing the initiation, progression, and metastasis of a variety of cancers and appears to inhibit carcinogenesis by affecting two main processes: angiogenesis and tumor growth. These anti‐cancer effects are largely mediated via negative regulation of various transcription factors, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, protein kinases, and other oncogenic molecules. The PI3K/AKT pathway is commonly activated in cancer initiation and progression. Considered to be the key signaling pathway, the phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway therefore represents a key target for cancer therapeutics. In the current review, we focus upon curcumin's targeting of PI3K/AKT in different malignancies to effect inhibition of cancer development and progression.