Cancer is a complex disease including approximately 200 different entities that can potentially affect all body tissues. Among the conventional treatments, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are most often applied to different types of cancers. Despite substantial advances in the development of innovative antineoplastic drugs, cancer remains one of the most significant causes of death, worldwide. The principal pitfall of successful cancer treatment is the intrinsic or acquired resistance to therapeutic agents. The development of more effective or synergistic therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes and minimize toxicity has become an urgent issue. Inula viscosa is widely distributed throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. Used as a medicinal plant in different countries, I. viscosa has been characterized for its complex chemical composition in order to identify the bioactive compounds responsible for its biological activities, including anticancer effects. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are natural, biologically active products that have attracted considerable attention due to their biological activities. SLs are alkylating agents that form covalent adducts with free cysteine residues within enzymes and key proteins favoring cancer cell cytotoxicity. They are effective inducers of apoptosis in several cancer cell types through different molecular mechanisms. This review focuses on recent advances in the cytotoxic effects of I. viscosa and SLs in the treatment of neoplastic diseases, with a special emphasis on their proapoptotic molecular mechanisms.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major public health and socio-economic problems, which management demands the development of non-invasive screening tests. Assessment of circulating polyamines could be a valuable tool, although analytical problems still preclude its clinical practice. We exploited ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, as a highly sensitive and innovative method, to profile eleven polyamines, including spermine and spermidine with their acetylated forms. These data together with an evaluation of the inflammatory indexes might represent suitable biomarkers for the identification of CRC patients. The statistical models revealed good discrimination in distinguishing CRC patients from healthy subjects. The plasma assessment of ornithine and acetylspermine, as well as lymphocyte/platelet ratio, revealed helpful information on the progression of CRC. The combined profiles of circulating polyamines and inflammatory indexes, together with the application of an innovative technology, could represent a valuable tool for discriminating patients from different clinical groups.