Prevalence and prognostic significance of COX-2 expression in stage IB cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), correlation with various clinicopathologic factors and prognostic significance of COX-2 in stage IB cervical cancer patients.


METHODS
89 paraffin-embedded specimens of patients with stage IB cervical cancer underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital during 1 January 1997-31 December 2002 and were stained with polyclonal goat antiserum against COX-2 using immunohistochemical method. Medical records were reviewed; clinicopathological variables were retrieved and used for analysis.


RESULTS
The prevalence of positive COX-2 expression in stage IB cervical cancer in this study was 49.4%. Positive COX-2 expression in cervical adenocarcinoma was higher than squamous cell carcinoma (86.7% versus 40.6%, P < 0.05) and significantly expressed when lymph node metastasis was presented (100% versus 46.4%, P < 0.05). However, COX-2 expression was possibly associated with parametrial involvement (80% versus 47.6%, P > 0.05). There was no correlation between COX-2 expression and patient's age, tumor size, depth of stromal invasion and lymphovascular space invasion. Five-year disease free survival and 5-year overall survival in patients with positive COX-2 expression were 81% and 98% which were not differed from patients with negative COX-2 expression (92% and 95%, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Strong correlation was found in cervical adenocarcinoma and lymph node metastasis. However, COX-2 expression failed to demonstrate as a significant prognostic factor in stage IB cervical cancer.
Manchana
Tarinee
T
Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. T_manchana@hotmail.com
Triratanachat
Surang
S
Sirisabya
Nakarin
N
Vasuratna
Apichai
A
Termrungruanglert
Wichai
W
Tresukosol
Damrong
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2