[Expression of COX-2 protein in colorectal carcinoma and the clinical implication].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between COX-2 expression and the clinicopathological factors in colorectal carcinoma and assess the prognostic value of COX-2 detection.


METHODS
Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry by SABC method was employed for detecting COX-2 expression in 126 patients with advanced colorectal cancer, and the relationship of COX-2 expression with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the patients was retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
The patients were divided into two groups of low and high COX-2 groups according to the grade and extent of COX-2 expression. High COX-2 expression was detected in 32 (25.4%) cases, and low expression in 94 (74.6%) cases. No significant correlation was noted between COX-2 expression and the patients' age, sex, tumor size, tumor location, histological type, lymphatic-node metastasis and Dukes' classification, but high COX-2 expression was strongly correlated with tumor recurrence and especially with blood-borne metastasis (P<0.05). The survival rate without tumor recurrence for high- and low-COX-2 groups was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test, which revealed significant difference between the two groups (P=0.0067). Multivariate analysis for all patients suggested that among the 8 prognostic factors (age, sex, tumor size, tumor location, histological type, lymphatic-node metastasis, Dukes' stage, and COX-2 expression), Dukes' stage and COX-2 expression was the independent significant factor related to disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of COX-2 is strongly correlated with recurrence of colorectal cancer, especially with blood-borne metastasis. COX-2 is an independent factor for prognostic evaluation of the patients, and tissue microarray allows rapid, convenient, economic and accurate COX-2 detection for large-scale application.
Yao
Hong-bing
HB
Department of General Surgery, 181 Central Hospital of PLA, Guilin 541002, China. luckstar0503@163.com
Wu
Ai-guo
AG
Chen
You-jiang
YJ
Tang
Bin-hua
BH
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human