Moving Chemoprevention Forward Into the Most Promising Areas of Study

The document reviewed the state of chemoprevention research for various cancers as of 2003, highlighting both progress and challenges. In aerodigestive cancers, initial success with 13-cis-retinoic acid was undermined by toxicity and inefficacy in later trials. Anethole dithiolethione showed modest effects in a study with 112 smokers. Gynecologic cancer research was nascent, with retinoids like fenretinide showing potential against ovarian cancer. Bladder cancer studies, including one with 80 patients on celecoxib, focused on recurrence prevention. Prostate cancer research included two major NCI trials: SELECT, with 32,400 men, and PCPT, with 18,000 men, investigating vitamin E, selenium, and finasteride. Despite some promising agents, further research was necessary to develop effective chemoprevention strategies.