But the funny thing is that, if two people have been exposed to the same risk factors it is very possible for one of them to develop cancer and the other not. That is why scientists and doctors have been trying to find new medicines and make more tests that will allow them to find new improved medicines for fighting against cancer.
This is how we get to Celebrex , also known as Celecoxib, which is an anti-inflammatory drug that does not contain steroids, and which was discovered to have certain beneficial properties in cancer treatment or prevention. Presently this drug is produced by Pfizer and is recommended in such affections like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain, painful menstruation.
However, studies have shown that this drug plays an important role in the prevention of several forms of cancer that involve polyp growth, like the colo-rectal cancers. It prevents polyps from appearing or reappearing in the affected area, thus stopping a recurrence of the cancer for example.
There have been a lot of clinical trials that proved its effect in this department and it really is efficient. But , on the other hand, it also induces a serious risk of heart attack and heart related diseases. Apparently Aspirin has the same effect and , of course, it protects the heart and is also a lot cheaper. However, there has never been a comparison trial between the effects of the two drugs.
Celecoxib, the active substance sold under the name of Celebrex or Celebra for arthritis and Onsenal for polyps has appeared in many cancer studies that wanted to find out not only its prevention capabilities, but also its curative effects. During the lab researches and the tests made on lab rats, doctors and scientists have discovered a certain reduction of the cancer tumours during the treatment with Celebrex
However, it is not very clear how it acts and how it does this. Some have claimed that it has something to do with the interaction of Celebrex with a substance that can be found in the cancer cell, called COX-2 and which is inhibited by the treatment with Celebrex, leading to a shrinking of the tumour. Some others said that is prevents the blood vessels in the tumour to grow, thus preventing the tumout to grow. But some more recent studies have found out that this drug had the same effect on cells without COX-2 in their composition, so the result is pretty ambiguous.
In conclusion, there has been a certain reduction in tumours caused by Celebrex, but they don't know why and they also warn us on the possibly fatal consequences of heart failure induced by Celebrex treatment.
So Celebrex has still a long way to go in cancer studies and is now only in the experimental phase. That is why patients must be clearly informed about both the beneficial effects of the drug, but also about the high risk it implies. I guess only time will tell its relevance in cancer treatment.