COX-2 Blockade in Cancer Prevention and Therapy

This book chronicles the evidence for the chemopreventive and therapeutic effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors against virtually all forms of cancer and presents exciting new opportunities for the use of COX-2 blockade in its prevention and treatment. The authors elucidate the process by which COX-2 inhibitors interrupt prostaglandin biosynthesis and cancer development, examine the positive epidemiological effects of such NSAIDs as aspirin and ibuprofen on various cancers, and demonstrate through animal models that COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs inhibit a variety of malignant neoplasms in vivo. They also present genetic models confirming the critical role of COX-2 in carcinogenesis and discuss how its molecular biology modulates carcinogenesis. In addition, the authors review the clinical applications of selected NSAIDs that are immediately relevant to cancer prevention and control and outline the future prospects of COX-2 blocking agents.The discovery that aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have notable antineoplastic properties has revolutionized cancer research. In COX-2 Blockade in Cancer Prevention and Therapy, a panel of leading experts chronicles the evidence for the chemopreventive and therapeutic effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors against virtually all forms of cancer and presents exciting new opportunities for the use of COX-2 blockade in their prevention and treatment. These highly experienced authors elucidate the process by which COX-2 inhibitors interrupt prostaglandin biosynthesis and cancer development, examine the positive epidemiological effects of such NSAIDs as aspirin and ibuprofen on various cancers, and demonstrate through animal models that NSAIDs inhibit a variety of malignant neoplasms in vivo. They also present genetic models confirming the critical role of COX-2 in carcinogenesis and discuss how its molecular biology modulates carcinogenesis via such processes as mutagenesis, cell division, angiogenesis, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. In addition, the authors review the clinical applications of selected NSAIDs that are immediately relevant to cancer prevention and control and outline the future prospects of COX-2 blocking agents.§Comprehensive and up-to-date, COX-2 Blockade in Cancer Prevention and Therapy demonstrates how COX-2 inhibitors and other NSAIDs reduce the risk of most cancers and provides cancer investigators today with a clear and authoritative guide to the development of novel agents with significant antineoplastic properties.