Chemoprevention of skin cancer: Current status and future prospects

Chemoprevention represents a relatively new and promising strategy whereby the use of natural or synthetic agents the process of carcinogenesis can be slowed, reversed or completely halted. Especially for the skin cancer, chemoprevention could be an important armamentarium because of increasing incidence of such cancers and because skin is continuously exposed to various environmental carcinogens that include both chemical agents and solar ultraviolet radiations. A wide range of compounds, both synthetic and naturally occurring has been shown to possess cancer chemopreventive effects in murine skin carcinogenesis models. Only a limited number of these agents have been tested for their efficacy in the human population. Here, we provide a brief review on the skin cancer chemopreventive potential and mechanism of action of various synthetic and natural agents. Many of these agents are present in daily diet and are supplemented or topically applied against prevention of various stages of skin cancer. We will also discuss the current status and future prospects of these agents for development as promising chemopreventive agents against skin cancer.