The
intravenous anesthetic propofol has a number of well-known nonanesthetic effects, including anti-oxidation and anti-
emesis. Another interesting nonanesthetic effect of
propofol may be its
cyclooxygenase (COX)-inhibiting activity. This activity may have important clinical implications, as
propofol could have antitumor properties through COX inhibition.
Propofol could counteract the activity of COX, which elicits, via its major product
prostaglandin E(2), (1)
tumor growth stimulation, (2) increased
tumor survival, (3) enhanced
tumor invasiveness, (4) stimulation of new vessel formation, and (5)
tumor evasion of host immune surveillance through suppression of immune cell functions. Indeed, accumulated evidence indicates that
propofol suppresses the proliferation, motility, and invasiveness of
tumors in vitro and in vivo. Therefore,
propofol could be a particularly suitable
anesthetic for use during the
perioperative period for
cancer surgery. However, whether the COX-inhibiting activity of
propofol is related to the reported antitumor properties of
propofol is not known. Definitive evidence remains to be provided.