Over the past few years, the
cancer-related disease has had a high mortality rate and incidence worldwide, despite clinical advances in
cancer treatment. The drugs used for
cancer therapy, have high side effects in addition to the high cost. Subsequently, to reduce these side effects, many studies have suggested the use of natural bioactive compounds. Among these, which have recently attracted the attention of many researchers,
quercetin has such properties.
Quercetin, a plant
flavonoid found in fresh fruits, vegetables and citrus fruits, has anti-
cancer properties by inhibiting
tumor proliferation, invasion, and
tumor metastasis. Several studies have demonstrated the anti-
cancer mechanism of
quercetin, and these mechanisms are controlled through several signalling pathways within the
cancer cell. Pathways involved in this process include apoptotic, p53, NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT, and Wnt/β-
catenin pathways. In addition to regulating these pathways,
quercetin controls the activity of oncogenic and
tumor suppressor ncRNAs. Therefore, in this comprehensive review, we summarized the regulation of these signalling pathways by
quercetin. The modulatory role of
quercetin in the expression of various
miRNAs has also been discussed. Understanding the basic anti-
cancer mechanisms of these herbal compounds can help prevent and manage many types of
cancer.