Celebrex CV risk outweighs cancer benefit

Executive Summary

Final analysis of Celebrex colon cancer prevention studies indicates cardiovascular risk "outweighs what may be an optimistic projection of its potential benefit in decreasing colorectal cancer events," editorial by Bruce Psaty and John Potter states. Pfizer's Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) and Prevention of Colorectal Sporadic Adenomatous Polyps (PreSAP) trials were published in the New England Journal of Medicine Aug. 31. Celebrex labeling was updated to reflect the CV results of the trials last year (1"The Pink Sheet" Aug. 8, 2005, p. 6). Editorial also charges studies were too small to evaluate celecoxib's role in preventing colorectal cancer. "It is reasonable to conclude that celecoxib has no role as a chemopreventive agent either in patients with nonfamilial colonic adenomas or in the general population," the editorial concludes...