Unlocking the Potential of Bioactive Compounds in Pancreatic Cancer Therapy: A Promising Frontier

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly challenging malignancyto treat, with a high mortality rate and limited therapeutic options. Despite advances incancer research, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with PDA is often poor due to late-stage detection and resistance to conventional therapies. Consequently, there is growinginterest in the potential of bioactive compounds as alternative or adjuvant treatments,given their ability to target multiple aspects of cancer biology, offering a more holisticapproach to treatment. In the context of PDA, certain bioactive compounds, such aspolyphenols (found in fruits, vegetables, and tea), flavonoids, carotenoids and compoundsin cruciferous vegetables, have shown potential in inhibiting cancer cell growth, reducinginflammation, and promoting cancer cell apoptosis. This review aims to elucidate themechanisms, by which these bioactive compounds exert their effects, modulating theoxidative stress, influencing inflammatory pathways and regulating cell survival and death.It also highlights current clinical trials that are paving the way toward incorporating thesenatural agents into mainstream treatment strategies, with the goal of boosting the efficacyof conventional therapies for PDA.