Pain Killers May Fight Colon Cancer

There's a new player in the game to prevent colon and rectum cancer. According to researchers at the Cancer Prevention and Control programat Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, initial lab tests show that the active ingredient in drugs like Aleve and Anaprox may have a significant impact in preventing colorectal cancer.

In the year 2009, approximately 50,000 Americans died from colorectal cancer, and there are almost 150,000 new cases reported every year. Advancements in treatment and screening for precancerous polyps has reduced the fatality rate over the last decade, but colon cancer remains a significant concern for doctors and patients alike.

Margie Clapper, the lead researcher, stated that an investigational form of the active ingredient naproxen "may be more effective than standard naproxen in inhibiting colorectal tumor development." NO-naproxen is the investigational form of naproxen being tested in laboratories. Initial studies on mice found that NO-naproxen can intervene in a signaling pathway in the body that would otherwise form the cancerous polyps that lead to color cancer.

Naproxen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammartory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown to reduce risk of colon cancer in adults, and many doctors have advised high-risk patients to use over-the-counter anti-inflammatories as a preventative measure. However, doctors and researchers have also become concerned about the potential for cardiovascular toxicity caused by the drugs.

Researchers of the latest study believe that NO-naproxen may deliver the same risk-reducing benefits of naproxen, without the potentially dangerous risk of toxicity. If the drug proves as effective as researchers hope, it may change the preventative treatment methods for colon and rectal cancer.

Studies remain in their laboratory phases. No testing on humans has been conducted yet, but additional study funding is expected through the National Cancer Institute.