Do retinoids have any role in the treatment or prevention of cancer?

Oral isotretinoin, etretinate, acitretin, and bexarotene have all been used as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs for a variety of cutaneous and internal malignancies. Oral retinoids have been used in experimental studies for the treatment of myelocytic leukemias, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, breast carcinoma, cervical intraepithelial dysplasia, cervical cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Bexarotene, which is a highly selective retinoid-X receptor retinoid, induces apoptosis of malignant cells in mycosis fungoides and has received FDA approval for use in this disease. Retinoids, particularly acitretin, have also achieved modest success in preventing squamous cell carcinomas in solid organ transplant patients.

Chen K, Craig JC, Shumack S: Oral retinoids for the prevention of skin cancers in solid organ transplant recipients: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, Br J Dermatol 152:518–523, 2005.

Zhang C, Duvic M: Retinoids: Therapeutic implications and mechanisms of action in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Dermatol Therap 16:322–330, 2003.