Hepatocellular carcinoma: is there a potential for chemoprevention using cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors?
Inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) have proapoptotic and antiangiogenic effects on malignant tumors and inhibit their invasion to surrounding tissues. These properties are derived from COX-dependent and/or COX-independent signaling via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. Although the role of COX-2 involvement in human hepatocarcinogenesis has not been determined yet, selective COX-2 inhibitors with COX-independent properties may potentially suppress hepatocarcinogenesis. This hypothesis should be confirmed in in vivo studies using animal models. These studies may provide insights into any application of the COX-2 inhibitor for primary and/or secondary chemoprevention.
Koga
Hironori
H
Second Department of Medicine, and Kurume University Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan. hirokoga@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000502:physiology
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases