title: Cyclooxygenase-2 expression predicts survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: The expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein is increased in many tumours and may be associated with a more aggressive phenotype. We aimed to assess COX-2 expression in a large series of archival mesothelioma specimens. Archival tissue was obtained from 86 malignant pleural mesothelioma samples (histological subtype: 42 epithelial, 28 biphasic and 16 sarcomatoid). Overexpression of COX-2 was detected by immunohistochemical analysis. Positive staining was located in the cytoplasm of malignant tumour cells. Overall 51/86 (59%) tumour sections demonstrated COX-2 overexpression. The frequency varied with histological subtype with 31/42 (73%) of epithelial sections, 14/28 (50%) of biphasic sections and 6/16 (37%) of sarcomatoid sections recorded as positive. Kaplan Meier survival analysis indicated that overexpression of COX-2 was significantly related to improved prognosis (P < 0.001) and was an independent prognostic factor in multivariant analysis. Overexpression of COX-2 protein may confer a survival advantage in mesothelioma patients.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medical Institute of the University of Hull in association with the Hull-York Medical School, University of Hull, UK.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: O'Kane
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cawkwell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lind
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases