Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human soft-tissue sarcomas is related to epithelial differentation.
BACKGROUND
Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is expressed by several types of epithelial malignancies, i.e., carcinomas, and inhibition of Cox-2 may have a therapeutic role in chemoprevention and treatment of cancer. The role of Cox-2 in non-epithelial malignancies, however, is unclear.


METHODS
We investigated, by immuno- histochemistry, the expression of Cox-2 in 103 human soft-tissue sarcomas.


RESULTS
All 10 biphasic synovial sarcomas were positive for Cox-2, but positivity was observable only in the epithelial component of these tumours. Excluding sarcomas with epithelial differentation, uniform staining of the tumour was observed in only 2 samples. In addition, positivity for Cox-2 appeared in tumour cells in only 18 samples around necrotic areas.


CONCLUSIONS
In human soft-tissue sarcomas, Cox-2 expression seems to be associated with epithelial differentation and, in some types of sarcomas, to be expressed in otherwise negative tumours at sites of necrosis.
Lassus
Patrik
P
Department of Plastic Surgery, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. patrik.lassus@hus.fi
Ristimäki
Ari
A
Huuhtanen
Riikka
R
Tukiainen
Erkki
E
Asko-Seljavaara
Sirpa
S
Andersson
Leif C
LC
Miettinen
Markku
M
Blomqvist
Carl
C
Haglund
Caj
C
Böhling
Tom
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases