Relation between cyclooxygenase-2 expression and clinicopathologic parameters with patient prognosis in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the correlation between cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) expression and clinicopathologic findings with the effect of these variables on prognosis of bladder cancer.


METHODS
Cox-2 expression was examined immunohistochemically in paraffin blocks of 99 patients. Correlations between Cox-2 expression and variables like cancer stage and grade, number of mitoses, angiolymphatic invasion, number and size of the lesions were determined.


RESULTS
Cox-2 expression was detected in 52 (52.5%) patients. Univariate regression analysis between Cox-2 expression and clinicopathologic findings showed a significant correlation only in the pathologic stage of the patients (p = 0.048) (OR =2.64, CI = 0.97-7.81). Multivariate regression analysis in stage T1 revealed an increasing number of mitoses as an independent prognostic factor for recurrence (p = 0.002) (OR = 1.5, CI = 1.16-1.92) and progression (p = 0.030) (OR = 8.23, CI = 1.22-55.27) although a prognostic factor was not found for progression in stage T2.


CONCLUSIONS
Univariate analysis showed that only the pathologic stage correlated significantly with Cox-2 expression. Cox-2 expression revealed a significant relation with patient prognosis in stage T2 but not in stage T1. These results support the fact that Cox-2 inhibitors may play a role in progression of invasive bladder tumors.
Gurocak
Serhat
S
Department of Urology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. sgurocakmd@yahoo.com
Sozen
Sinan
S
Erdem
Ozlem
O
Ozkan
Seçil
S
Kordan
Yakup
Y
Alkibay
Turgut
T
Akyol
Gulen
G
Bozkirli
Ibrahim
I
D000368:Aged; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2