Publications by authors named "Jack T Burcher"

Oral cancer is a disease with high mortality and rising incidence worldwide. Although fragmentary literature on the anti-oral cancer effects of plant products has been published, a comprehensive analysis is lacking. In this work, a critical and comprehensive evaluation of oral cancer preventative or therapeutic effects of dietary plants was conducted.

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Anticancer immune surveillance and immunotherapies trigger activation of cytotoxic cytokine signaling, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathways. The pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α may be secreted by stromal cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and by cancer cells, indicating a prominent role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, tumors manage to adapt, escape immune surveillance, and ultimately develop resistance to the cytotoxic effects of TNF-α.

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Nanotechnology has proven advantageous in numerous scientific applications, one being to enhance the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents. This present study aims to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive action of naringin-dextrin nanocomposites (Nar-Dx-NCs) against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF)-induced lung carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats. DEN was administered intraperitoneally (i.

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Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, owing to its aggressive nature and suboptimal treatment options, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Emerging studies have exhibited promising results regarding the therapeutic utility of plant-derived compounds (phytochemicals) in pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the potential of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer.

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Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with high incidence worldwide. It is the most frequently occurring cancer in men and the second most common in women. Due to its frequent diagnosis and variable response to treatment, lung cancer was reported as the top cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020.

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Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are enzymes that remove or add acetyl groups to lysine residues of histones, respectively. Histone deacetylation causes DNA to more snugly encircle histones and decreases gene expression, whereas acetylation has the opposite effect. Through these small alterations in chemical structure, HATs and HDACs regulate DNA expression.

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The high incidence of oral cancer combined with excessive treatment cost underscores the need for novel oral cancer preventive and therapeutic options. The value of natural agents, including plant secondary metabolites (phytochemicals), in preventing carcinogenesis and representing expansive source of anticancer drugs have been established. While fragmentary research data are available on antioral cancer effects of phytochemicals, a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the potential of these agents for the prevention and intervention of human oral malignancies has not been conducted according to our knowledge.

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It has been demonstrated that cancer stem cells (CSCs) go through metabolic changes that differentiate them from non-CSCs. The altered metabolism of CSCs plays a vital role in tumor initiation, progression, immunosuppression, and resistance to conventional therapy. Therefore, defining the role of CSC metabolism in carcinogenesis has emerged as a main focus in cancer research.

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The role of the microbiome in the development and propagation of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is largely unknown and the surrounding knowledge lags behind what has been discovered related to the microbiome and other malignancies. In this review, the authors performed a structured analysis of the available literature from several databases. The authors discuss the merits and detriments of several studies discussing the microbiome of the structures of the aerodigestive system throughout the development of HNSCC, the role of the microbiome in the development of malignancies (generally and in HNSCC) and clinical applications of the microbiome in HNSCC.

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Failure to predict response to immunotherapy (IO) limited its benefit in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) to 20% of patients or less. Biomarkers including tumor mutational burden (TMB) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) were evaluated as predictors of response to IO, but the results are inconsistent and with a lack of standardization of their methods. In this retrospective study, TMB and PD-L1 were measured by commercially available methodologies and were correlated to demographics, outcome, and response to PD-1 inhibitors.

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