title: Review article: cyclooxygenase--a target for colon cancer prevention.
abstract: Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, which are known to inhibit cyclooxygenase activity, reduces the relative risk of colorectal cancer in humans by 40-50%. Animal and human studies have shown a 50-80% reduction in tumour multiplicity following treatment with a variety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Two isoforms of cyclooxygenase have been described, cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In 85% of colorectal adenocarcinomas taken from humans. COX-2 levels are 2-50-fold higher than levels in adjacent normal intestinal mucosa, while COX-1 levels are unchanged. These observations raise the question: Does COX-1 or COX-2 provide a useful target for prevention or treatment of colorectal cancer?
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2279, USA. duboisrn@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Dubois
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases