Potential roles for inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism in prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths between the ages of 40 and 50 years in industrialized nations. The essential fatty acid arachidonic acid is suggested to play an important role in the development of various cancers, including breast cancer. Arachidonic acid can be metabolized by COXs and lipoxygenases resulting in the production of bioactive lipids, known to play a role in tumor development. In this review, we aim to provide a brief summary of our understanding of the roles of these enzymes in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression and the use of COX and lipoxygenase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment and/or prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]