Preventing cancer through medication is termed chemoprevention. Cancer is thought to be caused by mutations in the genetic material, DNA. These mutations accumulate and eventually will result in the cell becoming cancerous. Abnormal cells must be detected for chemopreventive drugs to be effective, such as through screening. Chemoprevention can also be used in high-risk patients such as those with a family history of certain cancers.
Vaccines
The human papilloma virus, HPV, has been linked with both cancer and premalignant and nonmalignant lesions. A paper published in February 2003 in the "New England Journal of Medicine," estimated that a vaccine against four HPV types will reduce 70 percent of cervical cancers. A paper published in the August 2010 issue of "Pathologie-biologie" suggests that the established vaccine against hepatitis B may be useful in preventing liver cancer.
Tamoxifen and breast cancer
Tamoxifen is often used to treat estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. It is possible to determine patients at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, such as those with a family history or those with pre-malignant lesions. Tamoxifen has been approved by the FDA for chemoprevention in patients who are at high-risk of developing breast cancer. However, Tamoxifen has been associated with serious side effects, especially in post-menopausal women.
Antibiotics
Heliocabacter pylori infection is a common occurrence in the Western world. Since 1994, the World Health Organization has defined Heliocabacter pylori as a carcinogen, and persistent infection has been linked with an increase in gastric malignancies. Often a combination of two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor are used to eliminate Heliocabacter pylori and treat any stomach ulcer and reduce the risk of gastric cancer.
Retinoids
A derivative of vitamin A, retinoids can be effective in preventing a number of cancers, including skin cancers, breast cancer and T-cell lymphoma, according to a 2006 article published by the Society for Endocrinology. Patients who are at high-risk of developing skin cancer, for example after transplants or with certain skin disorders, have been shown to have a better prognosis if treated with retinoids, though caution is required for transplant patients.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in the developed world. Most colorectal cancers develop from adenomas. According to "Inflammation and Cancer Prevention," an article published in the 2008 Annals of Oncology, a number of clinical trials show the benefits of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in preventing colorectal cancer in both healthy individuals and those at a high risk.
References
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Epidemiologic Classicification of Human Papillomavirus Types Associated with Cervical Cancer; Munoz N., et al; February 2003
- "Pathologie Biologie"; Hepatitis B Vaccines: Protective Efficacy and Therapeutic Potential; M-L Michael et al; August 2010
- "Endocrine Related Cancer"; Clinical Trials with Retinoids for Breast Cancer Chemoprevention; Zanardi S. et al; March 2006
- Skin Therapy Letter.com: Systemic Retinoid: Chemoprevention of Skin Cancer in Transplant Recipients: J Hardin et al;
