Summary
Curcumin has reached Preclinical as its most advanced recorded development stage across any indication, and the database holds no approval for Cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Curcumin to Cancer: 2 are currently recruiting; 3 have completed; 3 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is PHASE2, PHASE3 (NCT06281353). It plans or enrolled 78 participants. Registration activity spans 1996 to 2025. The literature layer holds 15 publications for this pair: 5 Cochrane reviews, 3 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2025 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Cancer ranks 1226 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous regression is rare (<0.5% of cases); 5-year survival without treatment: <5% for advanced NSCLC; ~20% for stage I-II with surgery.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | C · Preliminary |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 50.5 (trials 15.5, literature 30.0, tier 5, approved bonus 0.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 2 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 3 completed, 3 other |
| Linked publications | 15 (5 Cochrane reviews, 5 clinical trial publications, 3 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews) |
| Agent type | Supplement (Nutraceutical) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Preclinical |
| Mechanism / class | Cancer metabolism as a therapeutic target and review of interventions · Halma M, Tuszynski JA · 2023 |
| Data sources | OSMF Chronic Disease Review |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07278128 | Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin on Changes in Lipid, Metabolic, and Hormonal Profiles, Liver Enzyme Activity, and Ultrasonography Morphology of the Liver in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial 2024 | completed | PHASE2, PHASE3 | 74 |
| NCT06281353 | The Effect of Oral Nanocurcumin as an Adjuvant Therapy for Anogenital Warts: Evaluation of Clinical Improvement, NFĸB, IFN-γ, and FOXP3+TReg From Lesions Tissue 2022 | completed | PHASE2, PHASE3 | 78 |
| NCT02138955 | A Phase IB Dose Escalation Study of Lipocurc in Patients With Cancer 2014 | completed | PHASE1, PHASE2 | 30 |
| NCT07241182 | Antrodia Cinnamomea Extract Effects on Lung Cancer Patients' Quality of Life During Chemotherapy 2025 | recruiting | Not applicable | 40 |
| NCT06080841 | Curcumin Supplementation in Cervical Cancer 2023 | recruiting | Not applicable | 30 |
| NCT00003365 | Sulindac and Plant Compounds in Preventing Colon Cancer 1996 | terminated | Not applicable | — |
| NCT00689195 | Pilot Study of Curcumin Formulation and Ashwagandha Extract in Advanced Osteosarcoma 2008 | status unknown | PHASE1, PHASE2 | 24 |
| NCT01048983 | Reducing Symptom Burden - Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) | withdrawn | PHASE1, PHASE2 | — |
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Meriva (Curcuminoids) as a Candidate Chemoprevention Agent for Gastric CarcinogenesisGonzalez-Pons M, Dominguez RL, Montalvan-Sanchez EE et al. · Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2026 · PMID 42077070
- Clinical trial publication Overall Survival of Glioblastoma Patients Treated With a Combination of 7 Micronutrients: A Nutraceutical TrialRooprai HK, Lawrence P, Ashkan K et al. · Anticancer research · 2026 · PMID 41760279
- Clinical trial publication Novel immune-modulating formula versus standard formula for gastrointestinal cancer patients at risk of malnutrition undergoing surgery: A pilot randomized controlled trialLakananurak N, Laosuwan P, Vongwattanakit P et al. · Clinical nutrition ESPEN · 2026 · PMID 41525872
- Cochrane review Effect of curcumin intervention on radiation-induced injury: a GRADE-based systematic review and meta-analysisZhan L, Qia M, Cha Y et al. · BMC cancer · 2026 · PMID 42050478
- Cochrane review Role of curcumin and its nanoformulations in the management of oral squamous cell carcinoma: A systematic reviewMinervini G, Rajkumar C, Veeraraghavan VP et al. · Dental and medical problems · 2026 · PMID 41812185
- Meta-analysis Effectiveness and mechanisms of curcumin for colorectal cancer in preclinical models:A systematic review and meta-analysisJia Y, Liu X, Liu C et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology · 2026 · PMID 40902809
- Systematic review Turmeric: A Comprehensive Review of Its Botany, Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Mechanisms as a Functional FoodWang Z, Zhong W, Zhao W et al. · Nutrients · 2026 · PMID 42075010
- Systematic review Preclinical and Clinical Evidence on the Efficacy and Cytotoxicity of Curcumin and Curcumin Derivatives in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: A Systematic ReviewHosseini SM, Peymaninezhad F, Khademi F et al. · Phytochemical analysis : PCA · 2026 · PMID 42067395
- Clinical trial publication Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin as an Adjuvant to Standard Chemotherapy in Advanced and Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled StudyGoyal S, Beniwal SK, Agarwal P et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2025 · PMID 40898993
- Clinical trial publication Topical Curcumin for Prevention of Radiation-Induced Dermatitis: A Pilot Double‑Blind, Placebo‑Controlled TrialHeydari B, Sheikhalishahi S, Hoseinzade F et al. · Cancer investigation · 2025 · PMID 40145664
- Cochrane review The influence of antioxidant supplementation on adverse effects and tumor interaction during radiotherapy: a systematic reviewLimbrunner J, Doerfler J, Pietschmann K et al. · Clinical and experimental medicine · 2025 · PMID 40691411
- Cochrane review The effectiveness of nutritional supplements in improving polycystic ovary syndrome in women: a systematic review and network meta-analysisZhao G, Fan Y, Li R et al. · Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2025 · PMID 40611279
- Cochrane review Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of herbal and benzydamine mouthwashes in preventing radiation-induced oral mucositis among head and neck cancer patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysisMohandas R, Mohapatra S · Evidence-based dentistry · 2025 · PMID 39948159
- Meta-analysis Exploring the In Vitro Anticancer Potential of Indonesian Medicinal Plants and Natural Compounds for Breast Cancer TherapyRakhmina D, Heriyanto DS, W MSH · Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2025 · PMID 41459867
- Meta-analysis Investigating the Potential of Curcumin in the Treatment of Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Network Pharmacology, and Mendelian RandomizationGuo Y, Xu H, Shen P et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2025 · PMID 40925573
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: Cancer metabolism as a therapeutic target and review of interventions · Halma M, Tuszynski JA · 2023.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is C (Preliminary), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in OSMF Chronic Disease Review. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Curcumin approved for Cancer?
Curcumin has reached Preclinical as its most advanced recorded development stage across any indication, and the database holds no approval for Cancer. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Curcumin in clinical trials for Cancer?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Curcumin to Cancer: 2 are currently recruiting; 3 have completed; 3 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is PHASE2, PHASE3 (NCT06281353). It plans or enrolled 78 participants. Registration activity spans 1996 to 2025.
What does the evidence show for Curcumin in Cancer?
Curcumin has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Cancer. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is C (Preliminary), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in OSMF Chronic Disease Review. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.