Houttuynia cordata Thunb Extract Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis in Human Primary Colorectal Cancer Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent types of cancer worldwide and a common cause of morbidity and mortality in humans. According to the reports of the Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC) in 2009, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Taiwan, accounting for 11.4% of all cancer deaths. In clinical practice, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are main strategies for treating colon cancer patients. Significant improvements in patient survival rates have been achieved in recent years due to successful treatment. However, most patients still die of their disease. Approximately 20% of patients have distant metastatic disease at the time of presentation and are rarely cured. The median overall survival duration for patients with metastatic disease is currently about 20 months. Chemotherapy resistance in cancer is one of the most serious obstacles. Therefore, in this study, we focus on identifying a new agent to treat colorectal cancer.

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