A trial into whether the prescription anti-inflammatory drug Celebrex might help prevent lung cancer in former and current smokers has been reactivated by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.The center voluntarily halted the trial last December at the request of Pfizer, the maker of the drug, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) until further data on the drug could be analyzed. A subsequent FDA review of the data confirmed concerns that Celebrex (celecoxib) increased long-term users’ risk of heart attack and stroke.However, advisors to the FDA also recommended that Celebrex continue to be studied in the treatment and prevention of cancer. The NCI supported the continuation of such trials.M.D. Anderson then decided to reactivate the trial studying the effectiveness of Celebrex in preventing lung cancer in former and current smokers. New guidelines were introduced to the study to reduce risks to study participants, especially those with a history of hypertension or cardiovascular events.
