全球癌症发病率不断上升，对公共卫生提出了日益严峻的挑战。虽然抗癌药物在治疗中至关重要，但其局限性（包括靶向能力差和毒性高）阻碍了疗效和患者安全，需要不懈的科学研究和技术进步来开发更安全、更有效的治疗方法。肉桂醛（CA）是一种从天然植物肉桂中提取的活性化合物，由于其多种治疗应用而在药理学研究中受到关注。 CA 具有治疗多种疾病的潜力，包括心血管疾病、糖尿病、炎症性疾病和各种癌症。本综述全面总结了 CA 的理化和药代动力学特征，并深入探讨了阐明其在各种癌症类型中的潜在机制和靶点的最新进展。 CA及其衍生物具有抗肿瘤作用，包括抑制细胞增殖、阻滞细胞周期、诱导细胞凋亡、限制细胞迁移和侵袭以及抑制血管生成。此外，本综述探讨了CA的靶向制剂，为进一步探索其在癌症预防和治疗策略中的影响奠定了科学基础。

Cancer incidence is increasing globally, presenting a growing public health challenge. While anticancer drugs are crucial in treatment, their limitations, including poor targeting ability and high toxicity, hinder effectiveness and patient safety, requiring relentless scientific research and technological advancements to develop safer and more effective therapeutics. Cinnamaldehyde (CA), an active compound derived from the natural plant cinnamon, has garnered attention in pharmacological research due to its diverse therapeutic applications. CA has potential in treating a wide array of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, inflammatory disorders and various forms of cancer. The present review comprehensively summarizes the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic profiles of CA, and delves into the latest advancements in elucidating its potential mechanisms and targets across various cancer types. CA and its derivatives have antitumor effects, which encompass inhibiting cell proliferation, arresting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, limiting cell migration and invasion, and suppressing angiogenesis. Additionally, the present review explores targeted formulations of CA, laying a scientific foundation for further exploration of its implications in cancer prevention and treatment strategies.