Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDS) AS REPURPOSED ANTICANCER DRUGS IN SKIN CANCER

CLAUDIA IFTODE 1#, IUSTIN OLARU 2#, DOINA CHIORAN 3*, DORINA CORICOVAC 4,5, ANDREEA GEAMANTAN 4,5, CLAUDIA BORZA 1, SORIN URSONIU 1, SIMONA ARDELEAN 6

1Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
2 Faculty of Dentistry, “Vasile Goldis” Western University of Arad, Liviu Rebreanu Street, no. 86, 310414, Arad, Romania
3 Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Revoluției 1989 Bvd, No. 9, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
4 Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
5 Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, No. 2, Timișoara, Romania
6 Faculty of Pharmacy, “Vasile Goldis” Western University of Arad, Revolutiei Bvd, no. 94, 310130, Arad, Romania

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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are established anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic agents, that present an ascendant consumption trend globally and reached the spotlight in recent years due to the novel anticancer effects proved in various types of cancer, including colorectal, and breast, prostate, and skin cancer. Cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme, one of the main biological targets of NSAIDs, plays pivotal roles in tumour-associated inflammation and other processes related to carcinogenic processes, turning NSAIDs into eligible candidates for drug repurposing as chemopreventive or therapeutic anticancer alternatives. Although considerable research has analysed the mechanisms involved in NSAID anticancer effects, no review has presented the outcomes of different NSAID agents’ effects in skin cancer preclinical and clinical experimental conditions. Under these circumstances, the present review offers a comprehensive description of the existing knowledge concerning the NSAID agents investigated for chemopreventive or anticancer potential in skin cancer, focusing on their mechanism of action and their side effects.