Review
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World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. Feb 6, 2014; 5(1): 27-39
Published online Feb 6, 2014. doi: 10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i1.27
Role of chemoprophylaxis with either NSAIDs or statins in patients with Barrett’s esophagus
Panagiotis Tsibouris, Erasmia Vlachou, Peter Edward Thomas Isaacs
Panagiotis Tsibouris, Erasmia Vlachou, Gastroenterology Department, NIMTS General Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece
Peter Edward Thomas Isaacs, Gastroenterology Department, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Lancashire FY3 8NR, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Tsibouris P wrote and revised the paper; Vlachou E contributed in paper writing; Isaacs PET revised the paper.
Correspondence to: Panagiotis Tsibouris, PhD, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Gastroenterology Department, NIMTS General Hospital, 29 Biskini Str, 15771 Zografou, 11521 Athens, Greece. tsibofam@yahoo.com
Telephone: +30-21-07288107 Fax: +30-21-07257823
Received: August 24, 2013
Revised: November 9, 2013
Accepted: November 15, 2013
Published online: February 6, 2014
Processing time: 155 Days and 18 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Esophageal adenocarcinoma remains a major burden upon health. Experimental studies have suggested that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins may have useful actions against esophageal cancer cells. This review of observational studies shows that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduced adenocarcinoma incidence in patients with Barrett’s esophagus by 41%, while statins reduced the risk by 43%. The cancer preventive effect is enhanced in those patients taking a combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins (a 74% decrease). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs clearly have substantial potential for toxicity, while statins are rather safe drugs. Their combination offers promise for chemoprevention and further interventional studies are warranted.