ABSTRACT
In population-based observational studies, people had lower rates of colorectal cancer if they were taking various agents, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium, and folate. In placebo-controlled trials in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and in patients with sporadic colon adenomas, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduced the rates of adenomas, and there is a biologic rationale that they would be effective in reducing colorectal cancer as well. Randomized trials of chemopreventive agents are underway in the general population.
Footnotes
↵* The author has indicated that she has received grant or research support from Merck and Co. This paper discusses therapies that are experimental or are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the use under discussion.
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