Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in cervical, endometrial, and ovarian malignancies.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to compare the presence of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels between normal and malignant cervix, endometrium, and ovary.


METHODS
Semiquantitative immunofluorescent assays for COX-2 were performed on sections of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (n = 12), endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 13), and ovarian serous adenocarcinoma (n = 9). Levels of immunofluorescence for each sample were objectively measured, categorized as high, moderate, or negative expression and compared with normal cervical (n = 14), endometrial (n = 15), and ovarian (n = 13) tissue with the Fisher exact test.


RESULTS
Normal cervical tissue expressed COX-2 more frequently than cervical cancer (50% vs 23%), but the difference was not significant (P =.247). COX-2 was rarely present in normal endometrium (7%) and normal ovarian epithelium (0%) and was usually present in endometrial adenocarcinoma (69%, P <.001) and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (89%, P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort, COX-2 expression is significantly more common in endometrial adenocarcinoma and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, but not in cervical squamous carcinoma, compared with normal tissue.
Landen
Charles N
CN
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas Boulevard, 634 CSB, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
Mathur
Subbi P
SP
Richardson
Mary S
MS
Creasman
William T
WT
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000201:enzymology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases