CHEMOPREVENTION FOR COLORECTAL CARCINOMA

The literature on chemoprevention for colorectal carcinoma can be summarized as follows: (1) Aspirin and NSAIDs usage can decrease polyp formation and promote polyp regression and have a strong epidemiologic link to colorectal cancer prevention. (2) Fiber intake is strongly associated with a decreased incidence of colorectal carcinoma. Whether supplemental fiber can prevent colorectal neoplasia is not yet clear. (3) Calcium and vitamin D intake is inversely proportional to the risk of developing colorectal carcinoma. Prospective trials make the role of supplemental calcium as a chemoprotective agent unclear: (4) Chemoprevention is an exciting area of research. More work needs to be done to establish the precise steps necessary for neoplastic transformation of cells so that pharmaceuticals can be developed to target carcinogenesis at several levels.