Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40805190›Full record

ReviewCancers2025

From Spice to Survival: The Emerging Role of Curcumin in Cancer Immunotherapy.

Jacob M Parker, Lei Zhao, Trenton G Mayberry, Braydon C Cowan, Mark R Wakefield, Yujiang Fang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Functional Food Ingredients Enhancing Immune Health.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jacob M ParkerDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, IA 50266, USA.ORCID 0009-0006-8749-8121
Lei ZhaoThe Department of Respiratory Medicine, the 2nd People's Hospital of Hefei and Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230011, China.
Trenton G MayberryDepartment of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
Braydon C CowanDepartment of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
Mark R WakefieldDepartment of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2598-7895
Yujiang FangDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, IA 50266, USA.

Funding

Des Moines University IOER 112-3749
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatments but still faces challenges, particularly with response rates plateauing around 20-40%. This is primarily due to the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the lack of required antigen availability. This emphasizes finding agents that can improve these response rates, and curcumin has emerged as a promising natural compound with the potential to reengineer the TME by establishing its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, pro-apoptotic, and anti-angiogenic effects. This review synthesizes the mechanisms by which curcumin affects major oncogenic pathways to synergize with immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and cancer vaccinations. Finally, we discuss future directions, current clinical trials, and bioavailability issues with utilizing curcumin clinically.

Indexed as

adjuvantcurcuminimmune checkpoint inhibitorsimmunotherapytumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40805190
PMCPMC12346215

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.