Curcumin and Cancer-Related Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a well-established risk factor for cancer progression. This review aims to determine how persistent inflammatory signaling reshapes the tissue microenvironment to favor tumor cell proliferation, survival, and progression. It also discusses the role of cytokines such as IL-6 and TGF-β, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the transcription factors NF-κB and STAT3 in inflammation and in the tumor microenvironment. Sustained activation of these pathways promotes genomic instability, loss of tumor suppressor gene function, enhanced oncogene expression, and resistance to apoptosis, collectively facilitating malignant transformation and tumor development. The key novelty of this review lies in integrating these interconnected networks with new evidence to clarify how they drive cancer initiation and progression. Furthermore, we discuss the therapeutic potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds, with a particular emphasis on curcumin. Curcumin exhibits significant anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects through inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling and its downstream targets, thereby attenuating inflammation-driven tumorigenesis. However, its clinical application is limited by poor bioavailability. Finally, this review highlights current strategies to overcome these limitations and future directions for optimizing curcumin-based interventions in inflammation-associated diseases.