Phytochemicals in Cancer Therapy: A Structured Review of Mechanisms, Challenges, and Progress in Personalized Treatment

Objective: Cancer remains a global health challenge, necessitating new therapeutic options. Phytochemicals, with diverse chemical structures and biological activities, show promise as anticancer agents. This review explores key phytochemicals, their mechanisms, and their potential integration into cancer therapy. Despite growing interest, challenges such as low bioavailability, toxicity variations, and regulatory constraints hinder their clinical translation. Emphasizing the synergy between traditional medicine (e.g., Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda) and modern biomedical advances, this review discusses nanotechnology and AI-assisted drug discovery as tools to enhance phytochemical efficacy. It also highlights clinical progress, extraction methods, and optimized delivery systems to overcome developmental barriers. Methods: A structured review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (2020–2023). Keywords included phytochemicals, anticancer mechanisms, bioavailability, delivery systems, and clinical efficacy. Selected studies covered anticancer mechanisms, extraction technologies, and clinical findings. Conclusions: This review consolidates current knowledge on phytochemicals as anticancer agents, filling critical gaps in research. It underscores their role in personalized oncology while addressing challenges in development. Further research into extraction, formulation, and delivery will enhance clinical applications, improving patient outcomes and positioning phytochemicals as integral components of modern cancer therapy.