Dietary polyphenols as anticancer agents: A review of recent advances and mechanisms

BackgroundPolyphenols, a diverse class of over 8000 naturally occurring phytochemicals, are abundant in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and beverages like green tea. Recent studies have increasingly highlighted their anticancer potential, particularly their ability to modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell signaling pathways.AimThis review explores the roles of isolated polyphenol classes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes against various cancers.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Scopus using keywords related to cancer, polyphenols, and antioxidants. We included systematic…