title: Significance of COX-2 expression in human renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and its association with clinicopathologic parameters, and to investigate the relationships between COX-2 expression and inflammation and carcinogenesis in human renal cell carcinoma. COX-2 expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathologic parameters and an unfavorable prognosis in several human malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  COX-2 expression was examined immunohistochemically in tumor tissues obtained from 71 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. The correlation between COX-2 expression and clinicopathologic findings and patient survival was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 71 tumors, 63.4% were positive for COX-2 expression. Correlation was found between COX-2 expression and various clinicopathologic features, including tumor size, tumor stage, and tumor grade (P = 0.038, P = 0.004, and P = 0.004, respectively). We found no relationship between COX-2 expression and patient survival. However, the immunoreactivity of COX-2 in renal cell carcinoma and peritumoral areas with inflammation was greater than in areas without inflammation. A statistically significant correlation was found between COX-2 expression and the tubules associated with inflammation (P = 0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COX-2 expression in patients with renal cell carcinoma is associated with several clinicopathologic features. COX-2 expression seems to play a role in the inflammation-carcinoma sequence in renal cell carcinoma. Additional research is required to determine the link between carcinogenesis and inflammation in renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, Inciralti-Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuna
authors.forename: Kutsal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yorukoglu
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gurel
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mungan
authors.forename: Ziya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kirkali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases