Cyclo-oxygenase 2: a pharmacological target for the prevention of cancer.
Understanding the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis provides insights that are necessary for the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer. Chemoprevention--the use of drugs or natural substances to inhibit carcinogenesis - is an important and rapidly evolving aspect of cancer research. We discuss evidence that cyclooxygenase 2 (COX 2), an inducible form of the enzyme, is a potential pharmacological target to prevent cancer. Key data implicating a causal relation between increased activity of COX 2 and carcinogenesis and possible mechanisms of action of COX 2 in this context are covered. Importantly, selective COX 2 inhibitors appear to be safe enough in human beings to allow large-scale clinical testing in healthy people. Several chemoprevention trials using selective COX 2 inhibitors are underway.
Dannenberg
A J
AJ
Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Strang Cancer Prevention Center, New York, USA. ajdannen@med.cornell.edu
Altorki
N K
NK
Boyle
J O
JO
Dang
C
C
Howe
L R
LR
Weksler
B B
BB
Subbaramaiah
K
K
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007249:Inflammation; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000502:physiology; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015262:Xenobiotics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011453:Prostaglandins; D015262:Xenobiotics; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases