Dietary natural astaxanthin at an early stage inhibits N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine–induced esophageal cancer oxidative stress and inflammation via downregulation of NFκB and COX2 in F344 rats

Purpose: Esophageal cancer is a common malignant tumor that develops rapidly and has a poor prognosis clinically. Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid pigment with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antitumor activities. However, little is known about the effects of astaxanthin in esophageal cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects and related mechanisms of natural astaxanthin against N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced esophageal cancer in rats