Other novel agents: Rationale and current status as chemopreventive agents

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Preventive Medicine
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Prostate cancer prevention research is exploring novel therapeutic targets.
• Significant challenges exist in developing effective agents for prostate cancer treatment and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review novel preclinical and clinical strategies for prostate cancer prevention.
• To discuss four divergent approaches presented at a National Cancer Institute workshop.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of soy protein-based serine-protease inhibitors targeting DNA damage.
• Evaluation of molecularly targeted approaches focusing on endothelin-1, PPAR ligands, and IGFs.

Main Results:

• Insights into prostatic epithelium malignant transformation were gained.
• The complexity of developing new prostate cancer prevention agents was highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Novel agents targeting superoxide-induced DNA damage, endothelin-1, PPAR ligands, and IGFs show promise.
• Rigorous clinical data and validation of biologic endpoints are necessary before large-scale prostate cancer prevention studies.