Potential of natural products in osteosarcoma treatment: Focus on molecular mechanisms.

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent type of bone cancer found in children and adolescents, and commonly arises in the metaphyseal region of tubular long bones. Standard therapeutic approaches, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, are used in the management of osteosarcoma. In recent years, the mortality rate of osteosarcoma has decreased due to advances in treatment methods. Today, the scientific community is investigating the use of different naturally derived active principles against various types of cancer. Natural bioactive compounds can function against cancer cells in two ways. Firstly they can act as classical cytotoxic compounds by non-specifically affecting macromolecules, such as DNA, enzymes, and microtubules, which are also expressed in normal proliferating cells, but to a greater extent by cancer cells. Secondly, they can act against oncogenic signal transduction pathways, many of which are activated in cancer cells. Some bioactive plant-derived agents are gaining increasing attention because of their anti-cancer properties. Moreover, some naturally-derived compounds can significantly promote the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy drugs, and in certain cases are able to ameliorate drug-induced adverse effects caused by chemotherapy. In the present review we summarize the effects of various naturally-occurring bioactive compounds against osteosarcoma.

Determination Relation of the Zinc Serum Level in Acute Leukemia Adult Patients with Mucositis and Neutropenic Prevalence before and after Treatment in Isfahan' Seyed-Al-Shohada Hospital, 2012-2013.

BACKGROUND: Neutropenic fever and mucositis with 70% outbreak average is one of the major reasons of death in the acute leukemia adult patients. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of serum zinc level with neutropenic fever and mucositis prevalence in acute leukemia adult patients and comparison of the effects of therapeutic intervention with the serum zinc correct level in the group of patients with zinc deficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2012 to May 2013 in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, on the basis of zinc serum level, 40 acute leukemia adult patients were divided into two groups of normal and deficiency zinc, and neutropenic fever and mucositis prevalence were taken into consideration in each and every group. The deficiency zinc patients were randomly allocated to zinc or control group in a blocked randomization schedule. The data analysis was performed by SPSS software 20 and with the aid of variance analysis statistical method, logistic regression, and X2 statistical test. RESULTS: Serum zinc level was higher in acute leukemia adult patients without mucositis and neutropenic fever than others but was not statistically significant. There is a positive relation between receiving zinc with recovery; although the relationship has not become statistically significant. CONCLUSION: These data, although preliminary, suggest that zinc therapy could be a valid therapeutic adjuvant to improve the quality-of-life of acute leukemia adult patients.