Cyclooxygenase-2 expression is related to nuclear grade in ductal carcinoma in situ and is increased in its normal adjacent epithelium.
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is emerging as an important cancer biomarker and is now an experimental target for solid tumor treatment.However, no study has exclusively focused on COX-2 expression in early lesions such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We examined COX-2 expression by immunohistochemistry in 46 cases of women undergoing surgical resection for DCIS. We found that COX-2 expression was detected in 85% of all DCIS specimens, with increased COX-2 staining correlating with higher nuclear grade. Strikingly, COX-2 staining intensity in the normal adjacent epithelium was stronger than in the DCIS lesion itself. Our observations demonstrate that COX-2 is up-regulated in the normal adjacent epithelium and supports the hypothesis that the surrounding epithelial tissue is part of the disease process in DCIS.
Shim
Veronica
V
University of California at San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94115-1710, USA.
Gauthier
Mona L
ML
Sudilovsky
Daniel
D
Mantei
Kristin
K
Chew
Karen L
KL
Moore
Dan H
DH
Cha
Imok
I
Tlsty
Thea D
TD
Esserman
Laura J
LJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases