Prognostic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and expression of cell cycle inhibitors p21 and p27 in human pleural malignant mesothelioma.
BACKGROUND
A study was undertaken to analyse the potential prognostic value of the immunohistochemical expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and p27 in 29 malignant mesotheliomas already screened for the expression of p21 and p53.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of COX-2 and p27. The correlation with survival of these factors and of p21 and p53 expression was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
A positive statistically significant correlation was found between p27 and p21 expression (p<0.0001), but there was a negative correlation between COX-2 expression and both p27 (p = 0.001) and p21 (p<0.0001). No statistically significant correlation was recorded between p53 and all the other immunohistochemical parameters. Univariate analysis showed that overall survival was strongly influenced by p21, p27, and COX-2 expression, but multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the only immunohistochemical parameter to influence overall survival of patients with mesothelioma was COX-2.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that COX-2 expression may be a useful prognostic parameter for mesothelioma.
Baldi
A
A
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, F Cedrangolo, Section of Anatomic Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.alfonsobaldi@tiscali.it
Santini
D
D
Vasaturo
F
F
Santini
M
M
Vicidomini
G
G
Di Marino
M Pia
MP
Esposito
V
V
Groeger
A M
AM
Liuzzi
G
G
Vincenzi
B
B
Tonini
G
G
Piccoli
M
M
Baldi
F
F
Scarpa
S
S
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases