title: Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in cholangiocarcinoma: correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No information is available on the nature of the correlation between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CC). The goal of the present study was to determine the possible roles and clinical significance of COX-2 expression in CC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 in 102 patients with CC with respect to clinicopathological characteristics, namely evidence of Clonorchis sinensis infection, proliferation index (PI, assessed by Ki-67 expression), apoptotic index (AI, assessed by TUNEL stain), and microvessel density (MVD, assessed by CD34 expression). Evidence of C. sinensis infection was assessed by the microscopic examination of stools for C. sinensis ova, serological testing (ELISA), and the detection of peripheral bile duct dilations by imaging studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An immunohistochemical investigation demonstrated the immunolabeling of tumor cells, mainly in the cytoplasmic and perinuclear regions, in 53 (52%) of the 102 patients with CC. No significant differences were found in terms of age, sex, tumor differentiation, involvement of the resection margin, presence of lymph nodes or liver metastases, or in pTNM stage between COX-2 positive and COX-2 negative patients. However, evidence of C. sinensis infection was more common in COX-2 positive patients (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found for PI, AI, MVD, or cumulative survival between COX-2 positive and COX-2 negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clonorchis sinensis infection is related to aberrant COX-2 expression in patients with CC. However, COX-2 expression is not related to clinical outcome in CC patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyu Taek
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Sung
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Jin Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Seong Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dong Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong Kyun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung Woon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Jong Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rhee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases