Classification of Chemopreventive Agents

Abstract

Chemopreventive agents are the chemicals or substances which have anticancer properties to hamper carcinogenesis either by blocking DNA damage at initiation stage or by arresting or reversing the processes at stages of promotion and progression (Kelloff et al. 2001). An efficient chemopreventive agent can impede the early stages of carcinogenesis and eradicate premalignant cells ahead of their malignancy. Most of the compounds used in cancer chemoprevention studies are natural phytochemicals which are present in food (Surh 2003). Wattenberg classified chemopreventive agents into two categories on the basis of inhibition stages as blocking agents and suppressing agents.