Direct non-cyclooxygenase-2 targets of celecoxib and their potential relevance for cancer therapy

Abstract

Celecoxib (Celebrex) was developed as a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor for the treatment of chronic pain. However, it now appears that this compound harbours additional pharmacologic activities that are entirely independent of its COX-2-inhibitory activity. This review presents the recently emerged direct non-COX-2 targets of celecoxib and their proposed role in mediating this drug's antitumour effects.