Complain about a product or service

Researchers Study NSAIDs and Cancer

November 29, 2006

Cancer • Complementary Methods Used to Deal With Cancer • Researchers Report Cancer Breakthrough • Great Lakes Region A Potential Graveyard • Oral Sex Can Cause Cancer in Men • New Cancer Drug May Be On the Way • Thinking Positive Does Little To Help Cancer Survival • FDA Issues Warning about Fentora • Cancer Painkiller Can Be Fatal, Manufacturer Warns • A Gene That “Turns Off” Cancer? • Key to Reducing Cancer Risk Not a Mystery • Researchers Study NSAIDs and Cancer • Vitamin D May Protect Against Some Cancer • Report Tracks Decline In Cancer Deaths • Popular Cancer Drug Called "Toxic" To Heart • Colorectal Cancer Risk Higher for Smokers, Drinkers and Men • Health Groups Dispute Low Fat Study Findings • Research: Veggies May Protect Against Cancer • Total Cancer Deaths Down This Year • Circumcision May Protect Against Cervical Cancer • Study: Low-Fat Diet Does Little to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk • Study Finds Teflon Chemical In Newborns' Umbilical Cords • Study: Omega-3 Consumption Not Linked to Reduced Risk of Cancer • Canine Cancer Detectors • Is Lung Cancer Becoming a Woman's Disease? • Prostate Cancer Genes Identified

Cancer prevention could be as close as the average medicine cabinet. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has begun three clinical studies looking at the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to prevent cancer -- colon, esophageal or lung.

The studies are part of the ongoing Cancer Center chemoprevention program, using medications to prevent cancer, especially for people with increased cancer risk.

"While searching for the cure is important, even more so is finding effective ways to prevent cancer," said Paul Limburg, M.D., M.P.H., Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and lead researcher on the colon cancer prevention study.

"We have observed that some of the same biological processes that cause inflammation may also be involved in developing cancer, so the next step was to see if drugs that prevent inflammation also serve to lessen the risk of cancer."

The colon cancer study is looking at the NSAID sulindac (Clinoril), and its ability to inhibit inflammation and subsequent transformation of damaged cells into cancer cells. Sulindac's preventive effect will be measured against that of two other potential prevention agents: atorvastatin (Lipitor), a cholesterol-lowering drug with some reported cancer prevention aspects; and RaftiloseSynergy, a food supplement derived from chicory, also with some supporting research conducted overseas.

Other gastroenterologists at Mayo are looking at NSAID use for patients with Barrett's esophagus.

"There is evidence to support the idea that taking an NSAID will slow or reverse precancerous conditions such as Barrett's esophagus," Limburg said. "Prognosis for esophageal cancer patients is poor. We are continually looking for ways to prevent this and other cancers from ever starting, and NSAIDs provide a promising avenue for our research."

Individuals eligible for the esophageal cancer prevention study will receive esomeprazole (Nexium), an acid reflux medication, and aspirin, an NSAID. Mayo's doctors hope that using the acid reflux medication will diminish inflammation caused by acid reflux and that the aspirin will continue the healing and prevention process. Tissue in the esophagus will be tested before and after treatment to determine the benefits, if any.

The lung cancer prevention study is directed at current or former heavy smokers, age 45 or older, who are in generally good health. Those in cancer remission may be eligible to participate, if their last treatment was at least one year ago. This study is also using sulindac, which will be administered to patients with abnormal, precancerous tissues in their lungs. Pre-drug and post- drug treatment tests will determine effectiveness by reviewing the degree of abnormality of the patients' lung tissues after treatment.

"We have high hopes for all of these studies," Limburg said. "Previous work has shown that these are promising prevention avenues to pursue, and, if positive, the findings could result in substantial benefit to patients and society from a decreased cancer burden."

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.