Emerging Interdisciplinary Techniques to Extend ROS Modulation for the Benefit of Chemo-/Radiotherapy in Cancer

The major treatment modalities of cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Oxidative stress is intrinsically involved in all the phases of cancer including carcinogenesis progression and metastatic invasion of surrounding tissues by disturbing redox balance, damaging DNA, as well as affecting apoptosis. The presence of inflammation and involvement of the immune system in malignancy also augment the generation of oxidant species. The paradox is that it is required for bringing out the effect of some of the treatment modalities and to improve the efficacy of some of them. A multitude of factors come into play to exert the desired effect. The role of antioxidants is also, similarly, being explored in this field. Newer techniques have emerged to modulate the oxidative stress and antioxidant status to benefit the multidisciplinary treatment strategies alone or in combination.