Cancer Prevention: From 1727 to Milestones of the Past 100 Years

Abstract

The rich, multidisciplinary history of cancer prevention recounted here begins with surgical and workplace recommendations of the 1700s and ends with 2009 results of the enormous (35,535 men) Selenium and Vitamin E [prostate] Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). This history comprises a fascinating array of chemopreventive, vaccine, surgical, and behavioral science research, both preclinical and clinical.

Model examinatio�n of chemoprevention with retinoids in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region and suitable biomarkers for chemoprevention

“…2), after brief ATRA treatment (~6 days). After a 24-h incubation of HaCaT cells using all-trans-RA, Boudjelal et al (146) p53 has already been used as a biomarker in individual chemoprevention studies (17,29,60,89,107,109,110). The results of our model experiments show that proof of reduced protein expression in p53 as a biomarker indicates successful retinoid treatment.…”

“…To increase effectiveness, synthetic receptor-selective retinoids have been developed (14,28,50,(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65). Various biomarkers were applied to determine the optimal end point of chemoprophylactic treatment (16,18,19,29,45,50,60,90,94,(96)(97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102)(103)(104)(105)(106)(107)(108)(109).…”

“…To determine a preliminary endpoint, genetic, cellular, biochemical or immunological surrogate biomarkers are being used and validated so that chemoprevention can be evaluated before a recurrence becomes evident. This requires an understanding of the biology of carcinogenesis to find biomarkers which reveal particular steps in tumor development (16,18,19,29,45,50,90,94,(97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102)(103)(104)(105)(106)(107)(108)(109). The demonstration of RARβ (as an mRNA or as a protein in immunohistochemistry) was used in some studies as a sensitive biomarker for chemoprevention (13,17,18,84,88,89,95).…”

“…p53, telomerase) is also helpful in developing chemopreventative strategies (17,27,29,89,100,101,107,109,110). Geyer et al (17) found chemoprevention effective if the wild-type p53 had not yet mutated, and used p53 as a biomarker.…”

Cancer Prevention Research: Back to the Future

“…Impactful smoking-control regulations, including nonsmoking public areas and the smoke-free workplace, emerged in the 1970s, and the overall age-adjusted U.S. smoking rate decreased to 33.3% by 1979. 1 The addictive nature of tobacco use became a topic of scientific literature in the early 1900s (195). The biology of carcinogenesis induced by the numerous carcinogens in tobacco smoke began to be reported at least as early as the 1950s (196)(197)(198).…”