Research findings on cancer
published: Wednesday | February 26, 2003
The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) is heavily involved in research and
tracks and publishes cancer research data for the benefit of its population.
Here are some of its published data:
Contrary to expectation, randomised trials found no benefit of beta-carotene
supplementation in reducing lung cancer incidence and no benefit of fibre
supplements for reduction in risk of adenomatous polyps of the colon.
On the other hand, there is evidence from at least one randomised controlled
trial that calcium supplementation does modestly reduce risk of adenoma recurrence.
Consumption of red meat and inadequate folic acid intake have also been
associated with increased risk of colon cancer.
A large randomised trial is currently underway to investigate whether men
taking daily selenium or vitamin E or both experience a reduced incidence
of prostate cancer in comparison to men taking placebo pills.
Daily use of tamoxifen, a selective oestrogen receptor modulator, has been
demonstrated to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in high-risk women
by about 50 per cent.
Cis-retinoic acid also has been shown to reduce risk of second primary tumours
among patients with primary cancers of the head and neck.
Other examples of drugs that show promise for chemoprevention include COX-2
inhibitors (which inhibit the cyclooxygenase enzymes involved in the synthesis
of proinflammatory prostaglandins) to reduce the risk of colon cancer and
finasteride (an alpha-reductase inhibitor that reduces testosterone) to lower
the risk of prostate cancer.
