Anti-Oxidants as Chemopreventive Agents in Prostate Cancer: A Gap Between Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Background: Tumor cells may be expressed as a result of oxidative stress. The extent of oxidative stress correlates with the aggressive and metastatic potency of cancer. Objective: One simple way to control prostate cancer is through chemoprevention which refers to the administration of natural or synthetic agents to block, reverse, or delay the process of carcinogenesis. The most chemopreventive agents are antioxidants in nature. Methods: In this review, we summarized the effects of dietary antioxidants with a focus on their molecular mechanisms and possible roles in the treatment of prostate cancer cells. We also reported the recent outcomes of laboratory and/or clinical trials of antioxidants in prostate cancer patients. Results: Numerous pre-clinical studies showed that antioxidants protect DNA against being damaged by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), thereby genetic mutations causing cancer are likely to be prevented. However, the clinical trial results showed that antioxidants have yielded mixed outcomes or benefitted only a subgroup of the population. Conclusion: A greater understanding of the molecular events associated with antioxidants will enhance the development of treatment and could result in better strategies for the chemoprevention of prostate cancer. Recent patents also suggest that anti-oxidant compounds can be effective for the prevention and the treatment of prostate cancer.