Table 1.

Mechanisms of Huaier to exert anti-tumor effects

Tumor origin	Related mechanisms	References
Breast cancer	Induction of G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest	9, 23–25
	Inhibition of NF-κB	23, 36
	Suppression of CSCs	43
	Stimulation of cancer cell autophagy	9, 48
	Induction of cancer cell apoptosis	8, 25, 52, 56
	Inhibition of cancer-induced angiogenesis	64
	Regulation of tumor-associated macrophage polarization	64
	Inhibition of metastasis by suppression of ECM degradation	64, 66
Lung cancer	Induction of S phase cell cycle arrest	27
	Induction of cancer cell apoptosis	27
Hepatocellular carcinoma	Induction of S phase cell cycle arrest	26
	Inhibition of Yes-associated protein 1 expression	11
	Stimulation of cancer cell autophagy	49
	Induction of cancer cell apoptosis	6, 7, 11, 54
	Inhibition of cancer-induced angiogenesis	54, 60, 62
	Inhibition of metastasis by suppression of ECM degradation	12, 60
	Suppression of metastasis and EMT	6, 11, 69, 70
	Promotion of T cell and NK cell proliferation, and enhancement of immune-stimulating	12
	cytokines secretion
Cervical cancer	Induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest	28
Gastric cancer	Induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest	29
	Modulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway	29
	Suppression of metastasis and EMT	68
Brosarcoma	Induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest	30
Melanoma	Induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest	31
	Induction of cancer cell apoptosis	31
Colorectal cancer	Suppression of CSCs	42
Ovarian cancer	Suppress CSCs	10

Abbreviations: CSC, cancer stem cell; ECM, extracellular matrix; EMT, epithelial–mesenchymal transition.