Cyclooxygenase/ prostaglandin signalling pathway: A novel target for managing breast carcinoma

Abstract

Considering that cyclooxygenase -2(COX-2) is over expressed in 40% of invasive and pre-invasive breast cancer cell lines with a substantial role of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in cancer initiation, progression, invasiveness and metastasis ,COX-2 inhibitors have been recently found to be suitable options as anticancer agents. Various studies have demonstrated promising activity of this readily accessible, affordable and well tolerated class of drugs for their off the label use in pre invasive as well as invasive breast carcinomas but cardiotoxicity observed by them in trails has put a big question mark on their use. Though use of coxibs for cancer management has dampened in between because of worries about their safety, targeting COX/PG pathway can hence represent a radical step away from current conventional treatment and prevention modalities for expanding the armamentarium of anti-cancer therapeutics.