대한대장항문학회

The possibility for cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors in colorectal cancer prevention and theraphy is evident from epidemiologic data (reduction of colorectal cancer in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) users), animal experiments (nude<br>mouse<br>xenograft tumor reduced by NSAIDs or reduction of colorectal cancer in APCmin mouse and azoxymethane treated rat by using NSAIDs), and molecular genetics. Among two variant COX, inducible COX-2 enzyme is more involved in tumorigenesis than<br>constitutive<br>COX-1 enzyme and molecular method have given us insight into the mechanism of colorectal cancer development by COX-2 such as, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasiveness, and immune modulation. Based on that COX-2 is involved in tumor promotion during<br>colorectal cancer progress, a large number of prevention and treatment trials of colorectal cancer have been started. And many trials to elucidate the function of prostaglandin produced by COX-2 are now in progress.<br>