PLANT-BASED PROTEINS: NUTRACEUTICAL POTENTIAL AND CANCER PREVENTION

Nutrition plays a crucial role in cancer prevention and management. Among dietary components, plant-based proteins especially soy protein have gained significant attention due to their rich content of bioactive compounds. Soy protein contains isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein, which possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hormone-modulating properties. These compounds influence cellular signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and apoptosis. In addition to soy protein, other plant-derived bioactives such as nobiletin (a citrus flavonoid) and micronutrients like dietary boron also demonstrate anticancer properties. Collectively, plant-based nutraceuticals offer promising complementary strategies for integrative cancer prevention and therapy.