ReviewBiomolecules2020
Lactoferrin's Anti-Cancer Properties: Safety, Selectivity, and Wide Range of Action.
Review in Biomolecules, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 96 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
96 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 200 citations in OpenAlex.
- Anticancer Potential of Whey Proteins-A Systematic Review of Bioactivity and Functional Mechanisms.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Upregulation of LTF promotes left-sided colorectal cancer development via activating PI3K/AKT pathway.Cell adhesion & migration · 2026Article
- Lactoferrin and Nanotechnology: New Insights Into Glioblastoma Therapy.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2026Review
- Whey Processed Oxymel induces apoptosis and S-phase arrest in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Lactoferrin as a Non-Hormonal Therapeutic Candidate for Endometriosis: Mechanisms and Future Directions.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2026Review
- Breast Cancer in Relation to Dairy Product Consumption: A Review of Current Findings and Potential Mechanisms.Current nutrition reports · 2026Review
- Lactoferrin treatment activates acetylcholinesterase, decreasing acetylcholine levels in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell culture supernatants, inhibiting cell survival.FEBS open bio · 2026Article
- Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Ischemic Stroke: From Blood-Brain Barrier Crossing to Neuroprotection.International journal of nanomedicine · 2026Review
- Lactoferrin-Conjugated Nanocarriers for Transformative Strategies in Cancer Management: New Insights on Breast Cancer Therapy.Current drug delivery · 2026Review
- Development and application of synthetic biology tools for improved production of human breast milk components.Synthetic and systems biotechnology · 2025Review
- The in vitro activity of iron chelator deferiprone against Candida (Candidozyma) auris in combination with antifungal agents.Medical mycology · 2025Article
- A scalable reinforcement learning approach for screening large peptide libraries for bioactive peptide discovery.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Review
- Lactoferrin based copper nanoparticles: a promising anti-cancer strategy against malignant melanoma.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Article
- Mesalazine and Lactoferrin as Potential Adjuvant Therapy in Colorectal Cancer: Effects on Cell Viability and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway.Current issues in molecular biology · 2025Article
- Exploring the potential of anticancer peptides as therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.Research in pharmaceutical sciences · 2025Review
- Lactoferrin-A Regulator of Iron Homeostasis and Its Implications in Cancer.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Liposomal Lactoferrin Reduces Brain Neuroinflammation in Rats and Alleviates Jetlag and Improves Sleep Quality After Long-Haul Travel.NeuroSci · 2025Article
- Lactoferrin-Derived Peptide Chimera Induces Caspase-Independent Cell Death in Multiple Myeloma.Cells · 2025Article
36 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Despite recent advances in cancer therapy, current treatments, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, although beneficial, present attendant side effects and long-term sequelae, usually more or less affecting quality of life of the patients. Indeed, except for most of the immunotherapeutic agents, the complete lack of selectivity between normal and cancer cells for radio- and chemotherapy can make them potential antagonists of the host anti-cancer self-defense over time. Recently, the use of nutraceuticals as natural compounds corroborating anti-cancer standard therapy is emerging as a promising tool for their relative abundance, bioavailability, safety, low-cost effectiveness, and immuno-compatibility with the host. In this review, we outlined the anti-cancer properties of Lactoferrin (Lf), an iron-binding glycoprotein of the innate immune defense. Lf shows high bioavailability after oral administration, high selectivity toward cancer cells, and a wide range of molecular targets controlling tumor proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and metastasization. Of note, Lf is able to promote or inhibit cell proliferation and migration depending on whether it acts upon normal or cancerous cells, respectively. Importantly, Lf administration is highly tolerated and does not present significant adverse effects. Moreover, Lf can prevent development or inhibit cancer growth by boosting adaptive immune response. Finally, Lf was recently found to be an ideal carrier for chemotherapeutics, even for the treatment of brain tumors due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, thus globally appearing as a promising tool for cancer prevention and treatment, especially in combination therapies.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.