Chemoprevention of prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer is an attractive target for chemoprevention because of its ubiquity, treatment-related morbidity, long latency between premalignant lesions and clinically evident cancer, and defined molecular pathogenesis. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial has provided the first firm evidence that this cancer can be prevented by a relatively nontoxic oral agent. Additional agents, many of which are antioxidants with antiandrogenic effects, are being tested (or soon will be) in large clinical trials. The current body of evidence is insufficient to make a routine recommendation of any dietary or nutritional supplement for the prevention of prostate cancer.