Chemoprevention aims to prevent prostate cancer using pharmaceutical agents. Some key points about chemoprevention of prostate cancer include:
- Finasteride and dutasteride, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, have been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, especially low-grade cancer, but may increase the risk of higher grade cancers.
- Selenium and vitamin E supplements have been studied but did not show a clear benefit and in some cases increased risk.
- Dietary factors like lycopene from tomatoes and phytoestrogens from soy products are thought to possibly reduce prostate cancer risk but evidence is limited.
- Larger randomized controlled trials of pharmaceutical agents like the PCPT and REDU