[Relationship of cyclooxygenase 2 expression and chemotherapy response and prognosis in human ovarian carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and chemotherapy response and prognosis of patients with ovarian carcinoma.


METHODS
The expression of COX-2 was detected by immunohistochemistry in ovarian carcinoma tissues. Correlations between COX-2 and clinicopathological markers, therapeutic effect and prognosis of the patients with ovarian carcinoma were analyzed by chi(2) test, Kplan-Meire and Cox model.


RESULTS
COX-2 positive rate of 70 ovarian carcinomas was 60%. Expression of COX-2 was correlated with lymph nodes metastasis only (P = 0.001). There was no correlation between COX-2 and pathohistological types, clinical stage, pathohistological grade, age at diagnosis (P = 0.397, 0.094, 0.275, 0.394). In patients whose serum CA(125) level did not drop to normal after two courses of chemotherapy, the COX-2 positive rate (76%) was significantly higher than in those whose serum CA(125) level decreased obviously (51%, P = 0.042). The positive rate was also higher in patients with recurrent diseases (67%) than in those without recurrence (46%, P = 0.062). In univariate survival analysis, the expression of COX-2 was associated with a significantly reduced median survival time (P = 0.029). In multivariate survival analysis, COX-2 was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival (P = 0.036).


CONCLUSIONS
COX-2 expression is correlated with poor chemotherapy response and prognostic outcome. It is an independent prognostic factor of ovarian carcinoma.
Lou
Wei-zhen
WZ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Shen
Keng
K
Zhang
Yu
Y
Lang
Jing-he
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C549756:NBR1 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases