A somewhat longer article, so the summary first (for those short on time):

Summary:

Although it is generally believed that cancer is a genetic disease that occurs randomly in some people but not in others, there is ample evidence that cancer genes are strongly influenced by epigenetics.
In other words, the biological environment created in our bodies by our diet and lifestyle can alter genes to promote cancer.
Similarly, these genes can be modified to fight and prevent cancer. Several dietary supplements have been studied for this effect, with promising results.
A wide range of research on various cancers has highlighted specific therapeutic compounds that have tremendous anti-cancer potential. While some nutrients appear to act by a single mechanism, several dietary components have been shown to have multiple anti-cancer effects via multiple mechanisms.
These compounds include apigenin, curcumin, EGCG (in tea) and quercetin. In general, nutrient groups such as flavonoids and carotenoids appear to play an important role in cancer treatment and prevention.
These nutrients show promising evidence that they can be used both as a stand-alone treatment for cancer and in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment methods.Cancer cells are altered cells that no longer follow the rules of normal cell biology. Once a normal cell becomes cancerous, it adopts a number of characteristic behaviors, such as uncontrolled growth and division, an inability to communicate with neighboring tissues, and an inability to develop into mature cells with a purpose.
This abnormal behavior can have devastating consequences in the body and disrupt several necessary biological processes. Several mechanisms (abnormal behavior) have been found to be associated with cancer development, and conventional medicine attempts to combat these mechanisms with drugs and other methods such as radiation.
These mechanisms include: Intercellular dialogue disturbances, altered DNA structure, uncontrolled replication of cancer cells, impaired apoptosis planning, enzyme-induced inflammation, abnormally high estrogen production, excessive iron levels, and suboptimal (naturally occurring) detoxification.

Nutrient compounds and cancer cells

Although conventional medicine has made some progress in targeting specific cancer mechanisms, the therapeutic benefit is often limited and can sometimes lead to secondary complications when used alone.
A great deal of research has been conducted on natural substances that can act on the same mechanisms with greater selectivity, thus improving the efficacy of conventional methods by providing more targeted therapy to destroy cancer cells.
An additional advantage of using these nutrients is that they do not damage normal cells. Targeting cancer cells while protecting healthy cells is an important measure to minimize the side effects of cancer treatment and prevent the development of second cancers that may have been triggered by radiation or chemotherapy.

Cell communication for cancer

Specialized cells located in different tissues constantly communicate with each other via chemical messengers. The body relies heavily on this intercellular dialogue to ensure that cells grow and divide only when and where necessary.
One of the first mutations to occur in the development of cancer is thought to be a disruption of this mechanism, which reduces the concentration of intercellular chemical messengers and disrupts the normal cell growth cycle.
There is evidence that many nutrients are able to restore normal concentrations of chemical messengers required for intercellular communication. Of particular importance are the flavonoids apigenin and tangeretin and the carotenoids beta-carotene, lycopene and canthaxanthin.
In addition, compounds from green tea, vitamin D, and various flavonoids have shown the ability to upregulate gap junction communication (1).
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, relies on cellular communication, and by supplying nutrients that enhance this process, it may be possible to better control the development of cancers before they become dangerous. This approach is particularly important to prevent tumor progression and strengthen apoptosis.

Switch off cancer genes

The DNA of a cell is constantly at risk of being damaged. DNA contains instructions that regulate cell behavior, and accumulated damage can eventually lead to altered DNA and resulting irregular cell behavior.
The characteristic uncontrolled cell division that occurs in cancer is likely a result of oxidative stress. Based on this finding, supporting the body's natural antioxidant powers has become an important strategy for cancer prevention and treatment.
Although some specific antioxidant compounds have been studied for this purpose, it seems almost essential to consume a variety of foods to obtain a full, measurable spectrum of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
Several of these compounds have demonstrated the ability to protect cells from cancer, even in the presence of carcinogenic chemicals, viruses and radiation. Specific examples of compounds that have this effect are apigenin, kaempferol, EGCG (green tea extract), quercetin and luteolin.

DNA protection

Several fruits and vegetables have also shown the ability to protect DNA, probably due to the natural richness of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and other therapeutic phytonutrients. Some of the above nutrients can be purchased in the form of dietary supplements.
However, it is also important to consume a wide range of phytonutrients from plant sources, as research suggests that they have a synergistic effect in protecting cells that is more powerful than any single nutrient alone (2).
Another helpful strategy for limiting DNA damage is to consume foods with high ORAC values. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value of a food refers to its ability to scavenge free radicals through antioxidant activity, thereby significantly reducing the damage caused by oxidative stress.
Some foods with high ORAC values are astaxanthin (found in microalgae and salmon), green tea, turmeric, cloves, and Chaga mushrooms. Consumption of foods with high antioxidant capacity has been shown to have therapeutic value in various diseases, including cancer (3).
Interruption of the proliferation of cancer cells
Cancer cells divide rapidly. Over a long period of time, this rapid cell division, if left unattended, can lead to the development of tumors and eventually metastasis (spread of cancer cells throughout the body).
Traditional cancer treatment methods may kill many of these cells, but the remaining cells tend to become more aggressive, which can lead to more rapid cancer progression. Treatments may be given over several months in hopes of preventing this recurrence.
While this may lead to marginally better results in killing as many cancer cells as possible, it also kills healthy cells, resulting in a strong inhibition of the immune system.
Inhibiting the immune system at a time when maximizing healing ability is critical can lead to slower recovery and open the door to opportunistic infections such as pneumonia.
While conventional treatments tend to damage healthy cells, natural compounds may have a more targeted effect. Compounds such as apigenin, curcumin, EGCG, indole-3-carbinol and vitamin E succinate have demonstrated the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells while having a protective effect on healthy cells.
This is significant because these nutrients could be combined with conventional treatments to improve efficacy and prevent secondary complications by protecting normal cells.

Promotion of apoptosis

Although damage occurs in cells on a daily basis, there are built-in protective mechanisms that prevent this minor damage from becoming major problems.
When the DNA in a cell is damaged to the point that normal processes are affected, a gene is activated that instructs the cell to be destroyed; a process known as apoptosis.
However, if the damage is too far advanced before it is detected, the gene for apoptosis can become mutated, disabling this important protective mechanism.
Many chemo- and radiotherapies attempt to induce apoptosis by systemic intoxication (in the absence of normal, natural regulation), but also have a negative effect on healthy cells.
Several natural substances are able to restore apoptotic activity in a way that targets only cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. Some specific examples of these effects are:
Catechin and EGCG in lymphoid leukemia (4).
Curcumin in breast cancer cells (5)
Vitamin E succinate and retinoic acid in B lymphoma cells (6).
Several other nutrients have shown similar properties, including apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, Panax ginseng, and resveratrol.
Many of these nutrients not only have apoptotic effects in isolation, but also have the ability to enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents, especially in chemoresistance. These nutrients include ginseng, quercetin, and fish oil (7,8,9).
Inhibition of cancer-dependent enzymes
When a cell becomes cancerous, it acquires the ability to control its own growth by producing certain enzymes (related to cell growth). The concentration of these enzymes has been measured in cancers and positively correlated with the aggressiveness of cancer development.
This means that high concentrations of these enzymes accelerate cancer growth if they are not controlled by treatment. To stop cancer development, it is important to switch off the cell's ability to produce growth-relevant enzymes.
Many of the nutrients that have been shown to slow cell division and promote apoptosis have also been shown to inhibit the production of growth-related enzymes. These nutrients include green tea extract (catechin and EGCG), curcumin, apigenin, quercetin and vitamin E succinate.
This list is not exhaustive and identifies only some of the compounds that have been shown to have the ability to lower growth-related enzymes. Several phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables also provide therapeutic benefits in this regard, and consumption of a variety of plant foods can further inhibit the secretion of growth-related enzymes.

Minimization of systemic inflammation

A high level of systemic inflammation is often found in affected (cancer) individuals. This has been scientifically demonstrated by measuring cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX), two important biological markers of inflammation.
The inflammation triggered by these enzymes can impair immunity, accelerate cancer cell growth, and increase the likelihood of metastasis. Studies have also shown that lowering COX and LOX enzymes through anti-inflammatory protocols can have a significant beneficial effect in cancer (10).
Some drugs have been developed that act on these enzymes, but usually only on one and not the other. Although they show some positive effects in slowing cancer growth, several nutrients have shown the ability to inhibit both enzymes, which may be more beneficial.
The flavonoids apigenin and kaempferol are each capable of inhibiting both enzymes. In addition, curcumin, berberine, and garcinol have demonstrated the ability to inhibit various inflammatory pathways, including the production of the enzymes COX and LOX (11).
While consumption of anti-inflammatory flavonoids is important, it is also important to increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in proportion to omega-6 fatty acids. Limiting omega-6 intake may be helpful in lowering levels of COX and LOX enzymes, as these are synthesized by the byproducts of omega-6 metabolism.

Inhibition of tumor invasion

When cancer cells develop and lose the ability to communicate with normal cells, they can form tumors and invade nearby tissues. Research has shown that two key enzymes, MMP-2 and MMP-9, enhance this invasive behavior by degrading cell membranes responsible for structural support of the tissue (12).
Suppression of these enzymes is important in preventing metastasis, and dietary changes can achieve such an effect.
A primary strategy to lower these enzymes is to decrease the intake of omega-6 fatty acids and increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids was associated with an increase in MMP concentrations, whereas the intake of omega-3 fatty acids showed the opposite effect.
Other dietary components that have been shown to inhibit MMPs include curcumin, luteolin, and quercetin (13). Intake of these nutrients in combination with a diet high in omega-3 may result in a significant reduction in tumor invasiveness.
Blocking angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is the process by which tumors form new blood vessels. Once a tumor undergoes angiogenesis, it is able to accumulate blood and nutrients to grow.
These new blood vessels also provide a way for cancer cells to leave the tumor and spread throughout the body because they contain large holes in their basement membrane.
If you block the process of angiogenesis, you can essentially starve the tumor and drastically limit its growth.
The mechanism of angiogenesis has been found to be related to the same signaling pathways as inflammation, with the enzymes COX and LOX playing an important role. In light of this, some of the nutrients important for anti-inflammation also contribute to the prevention of angiogenesis.
Two main nutrients to focus on for this purpose are the flavonoids apigenin and luteolin. Similar to inflammation, it is also important to reduce the intake of omega-6 fatty acids while increasing omega-3 fatty acids. In particular, the omega-3 fatty acid DHA has shown potent antiangiogenic effects (14).
Estrogen inhibiting effect of phytonutrients
Excessive estrogen levels are associated with the development of certain cancers. High estrogen levels can directly promote the development of breast, prostate, colon and possibly other cancers.
Against this background, the enzyme aromatase has been studied in detail for its estrogen-promoting effect. Aromatase is responsible for the conversion of free testosterone into estrogen, and there is evidence that high aromatase activity is associated with increased tumor growth and metastasis.
Several flavonoids have shown the ability to inhibit aromatase and even block the binding of estrogen to its receptor. Apigenin, kaempferol and quercetin are able to inhibit aromatase activity. This may partly explain their therapeutic role in cancer treatment and prevention.

Chelation of iron from the tissue

High iron concentrations in the body can promote cancer development. Rapidly dividing cancer cells require iron because it is involved in the process of DNA synthesis, a crucial step in cell division. In addition, excess iron can lead to the formation of highly reactive free radicals that contribute to oxidative stress (15).
An effective way to remove excess iron from the body is to consume phytates, especially inositol phosphate-6 (IP-6), which has been studied for this purpose.
IP-6 is not only able to bind and remove excess iron from tissues, but it has also been shown to boost immune responses that target and kill cancer cells (16). Other sources of phytates include legumes, nuts and seeds.
Several flavonoids have also shown iron chelating activity, including curcumin, catechins (ECGC - green tea extract), and quercetin.
Maximization of the detoxification processes
In cancer prevention, it is important to maximize the body's detoxification systems. Many toxins can cause inflammation, DNA damage and decreased immunity when they accumulate in tissues. Detoxification is especially important for people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, as the toxic load on the body is dramatically increased.
The liver is primarily responsible for removing toxic byproducts, so it is important to focus on the liver when maximizing detoxification capacity. When the liver is functioning properly, even large amounts of toxins can be effectively neutralized and safely removed from the body. Nutrients important for liver function include carotenoids, indole-3-carbinol, curcumin and isothiocyanates.
Although the liver plays a critical role in the detoxification process, toxins that accumulate in the tissues must be removed and transported to the liver to effectively complete the detoxification process.

Source

Another interesting Article on the subject: https://selfhealing.academy/ernaehrung-und-heilung/