Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition prevents colorectal cancer: from the bench to the bed side.

Cancer is predicted to become the leading cause of death--surpassing heart disease--by the end of this decade. Colorectal cancer is a major health concern, with more than 1,000,000 new cases and 500,000 deaths expected worldwide per year. There is much evidence to suggest a link between the consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). The consumption of NSAIDs is not problem free, and the number of deaths due to NSAIDs equals the number of deaths from AIDS or leukemia. Therefore, although chemoprevention of CRC is possible, drugs that have more acceptable side effect profiles than the currently available NSAIDs are required. Since up to 50% of polyps and 85% of colonic tumors in humans overexpress cyclooxygenase (COX-2), COX-2 inhibitors are an ideal drug candidate for CRC prevention or treatment.