ROCHESTER, Minn., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers have started three clinical studies, investigating the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent cancer.
The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center research is part of ongoing chemoprevention studies that are testing medications to prevent colon, esophageal or lung cancers, 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 Dr. Paul Limburg, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and lead researcher on the colon cancer prevention study. He will investigate the drug sulindac (Clinoril) and its ability to inhibit inflammation and subsequent transformation of damaged cells into cancer cells.
Other gastroenterologists at Mayo are looking at the use of esomeprazole (Nexium) for patients at risk for esophageal cancer, with the lung cancer prevention study using sulindac for current or former heavy smokers, age 45 or older, who are in generally good health.
"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."
