[Chemoprevention of bronchogenic carcinoma]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in many developed countries. Understanding its carcinogenesis is critical for the development of rational approaches to cancer prevention. The concept of chemoprevention is based on the idea that the diffuse injury of the respiratory epithelium results from chronic carcinogen exposure. Chemoprevention agents should reverse or suppress the development of premalignant and malignant changes by different mechanisms. In the future, the clinical application to risk groups of patients could lead to substantially decreased frequency of the lung cancer. The results of ongoing trials are eagerly awaited.