Evidence mapPaperPMID 42353244Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Natural Compounds for the Treatment of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Natalia Forno-Bell, Sara Arciniegas Ruiz, Helena Walker, Seyed Pouya Aghili

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Natalia Forno-BellDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre KN0202, Saint Kitts and Nevis.ORCID 0000-0001-9078-3501
Sara Arciniegas RuizDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre KN0202, Saint Kitts and Nevis.ORCID 0000-0002-2333-2345
Helena WalkerDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre KN0202, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Seyed Pouya AghiliDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre KN0202, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is one of the most common non-melanoma skin cancers worldwide. Although surgery and adjuvant therapies are often effective, the treatment of high-risk or advanced lesions remains challenging due to recurrence, resistance, toxicity, and limited long-term control. Natural compounds have, therefore, gained interest as multi-target agents for cancer prevention and treatment. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the antitumoral activity of natural compounds against cSCC. A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Sixty studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using a conservative, mechanism-based classification framework. The included studies evaluated purified compounds, crude extracts, essential oils, formulations, and combination treatments. Despite chemical diversity, antitumoral activity converged on defined biological processes, including apoptosis, non-apoptotic regulated cell death, redox modulation, oncogenic signaling inhibition, cell-cycle arrest, epigenetic regulation, photodynamic ROS generation, and chemopreventive or immune-mediated mechanisms. Mechanistic specificity was higher among purified compounds, while complex extracts showed broader, context-dependent effects. Several agents demonstrated consistent in vitro and in vivo activity, which supports their translational relevance. Natural compounds target shared biological vulnerabilities in cSCC through mechanistically convergent pathways. The framework presented here supports mechanism-guided prioritization and may facilitate the translation of promising compounds into clinically relevant strategies.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsBiological ProductsCutaneous Squamous Cell CarcinomaSkin NeoplasmsAnimalsApoptosisHumansAntineoplastic AgentsBiological Productscutaneous squamous cell carcinomanatural compoundphytochemicalSCCskin cancer

Identifiers

PMID42353244
PMCPMC13299194

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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 Socratic graph.