| Class of Agent |
Chemical/
Generic/Brand name® |
Uses Outside
Cancer Prevention Research |
Under Study to Prevent Cancer in These Organ Systems |
Comments |
| Anti-Androgens |
Flutamide/Eulexin® |
Treatment of prostatic carcinoma |
Prostate |
Finasteride blocks new testosterone production while flutamide blocks the androgen receptor |
| BBIC |
Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Concentrate |
|
|
Obtained from soy extract |
| Carotenoids |
Lycopene |
|
Prostate |
Lycopene provides the natural red pigment in tomatoes and tomato products such as ketchup and spaghetti sauce. It is also found in smaller amounts in grapefruit, guava, watermelon, and papaya. |
| Curcumin |
Curcumin Demethoxycurcumin Bis-demethoxy-
curcumin. |
|
Colon |
Spice commonly known as turmeric, curcumin is used in curries and mustards for color and flavor. It is a yellow pigment extracted from turmeric, which is the powdered root of the perennial herb Curcuma longa. This spice contains three similar compounds known as curcuminoids. |
| Epidermal growth factor receptor –tyrosine kinase (EGRF-TK) inhibitors |
Erlotinib/Tarceva® |
Treatment of carcinoma of pancreas, non-small cell lung cancer |
Colon, lung |
Both compounds have related quinazoline structures |
| Gefitinib/Iressa® |
Non-small cell lung cancer, |
| Indoles |
Di-indolylmethane, (DIM) |
|
Colon |
Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is found in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Eating these vegetables may decrease cancer risk. |
| Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) |
|
| Isothiocyanates |
Phenethylisothio-
cyanate, (PEITC) |
|
Colon |
PEITC occurs naturally in horseradish, canola oil, and vegetables such as watercress, turnip, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. People who eat vegetables with PEITC may have a decreased cancer risk |
| NO-releasing NSAIDS |
NCX-4016 |
|
Colon |
NCX-4016 acts as both an aspirin and a nitric oxide releasing agent |
| NSAIDS |
Celecoxib/Celebrex® |
Anti-inflammatory for arthritis |
Colon, breast, prostate, bladder, esophagus. skin |
Aspirin is the first pain-relieving drug developed in a group of pharmaceuticals called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). They work through cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibition. Celecoxib is COX 2 selective, Aspirin and sulindac are mixed COX-1 and COX-2 |
| Sulindac/Clinoril® |
Anti-inflammatory |
| Aspirin |
Anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant |
| Ornithine decarboxylase Inhibitor |
Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) Eflornithine/Ornidyl® |
Not approved in the US Anti-protozoal in Africa |
Bladder, colon |
A synthetic compound, DFMO interferes with the activity of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which is essential for cell proliferation. It is used as an antiprotozoan in tropical medicine. |
| Polyphenols |
Green Tea Catechins |
|
Colon, lung, skin, prostate, Basal cell carcinoma, osteosarcoma |
Tea Polyphenols are compounds in the tea leaves that contain natural plant antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent damage caused by free radicals to DNA and other molecules. |
| Grape seed polyphenols |
|
| PPAR gamma agonists |
Pioglitazone |
Antidiabetic |
Head and neck, oral leukoplakia |
Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor |
| Rosiglitazone |
Antidiabetic |
| Resveratrol |
Grape/wine constituent |
|
Colon |
The resveratrol content of wine is related to the length of time the grape skins are present during the fermentation process. Grape juice, which is not a fermented beverage, is not a significant source of resveratrol. |
| Resiquimod |
Imuno-modulator related to imiquimod/Aldara® |
|
Atypical nevi (skin) |
Imiquimod is approved for treatment of genital warts. Resiquimod has a more favorable profile than imiquimod |
| Retinoids |
All-trans-Retinoic acid Tretinoin/Retin-A® |
Smoothing wrinkles |
Cervix, esophagus, larynx, lung, nasopharynx, oral cavity, and ovary. |
Vitamin A-like compounds |
| 9-cis-Retinoic Acid alitretinoin/Panretin® |
Kaposi’s sarcoma in AIDS |
| 13-cis-Retinoic acid Isotretinoin/Accutane® |
Severe acne |
| 4-Hydroxyretinamide, (4-HPR) fenretinide |
|
| Rexanoids |
Bexarotene/Targretin® |
T-Cell lymphoma |
Basal cell carcinoma, Breast |
Bexarotene is used to treat problems associated with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a disease in which certain cells of the lymph system (T lymphocytes) become cancerous and affect the skin. |
| Tararotene/Zorac® |
Topical keratolytic in psoriasis |
| Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMS) |
Tamoxifen/
Nolvadex® |
Recurrent breast cancer |
Breast |
Arzoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is an improved form of the drug raloxifene. Arzoxifene is more easily absorbed by the body than raloxifene, which is used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, and it is being clinically tested against the drug tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention. |
| Arzoxifene |
|
| Acolbifene |
|
| Raloxifene/Evista® |
Post menopausal osteoporosis |
| Selenium compounds |
Selenized yeast |
|
Bladder, breast, colon, rectum, lung, bladder and prostate |
L-Selenome-
thionine is a synthetic form of selenium, an essential nonmetallic trace element in grains, meat, yeast, and certain vegetables. |
| Selenomethionine |
|
| Selenomethylcysteine |
|
| Soy Isoflavones |
Genistein, Daidzein and Glycitein |
|
Breast, colon |
Soy Isoflavones are several different plant-derived substances known to interact with human estrogen receptors.. Soy Isoflavones also produce non-hormonal effects. Isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein, are found in soybeans and soy food products like tofu and textured vegetable protein. |
| Statins |
Atorvastatin/Lipitor® |
Cholesterol reduction |
Colon |
Atorvastatin calcium and the related drug lovastatin are competitive inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, which catalyzes the early step in cholesterol biosynthesis. Unlike other statins, atorvastatin can also reduce blood triglycerides. |
| Sulfur containing Antioxidants |
Anethole trithione/Sialor® (Canadian) |
Salivation increasing agent |
Breast, lung, colon and bladder |
These are based on sulforaphane found in vegetables like cabbage and Brussels sprouts. |
| Vitamin D analogs |
Provitamin D
Vit. D2/ergocalciferol
Vit. D3/cholecalciferol |
Anti-rachitic promoting calcification |
Skin, ovary, colon,breast |
Vitamin D (D2 and D3) compounds are needed for healthy bone growth. The skin can produce Vitamin D3 from sunlight, and both compounds are found naturally in foods. |
