title: Clinical significance of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there are any differences in therapeutic response, patterns of systemic recurrence, and prognosis of patients with extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, by the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients with Ann Arbor Stage I and II extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma who underwent chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or both, were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were divided into two groups according to their immunohistochemical staining for COX-2 expressions: a COX-2-negative group (n = 10 patients) and a COX-2-positive group (n = 24 patients). The treatment response, patterns of treatment failure, and survival data for the patients were compared between the COX-2-positive and negative groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the clinical profiles between the COX-2-negative and COX-2-positive groups. All patients (100%) in the COX-2-negative group achieved complete response after initial treatment, whereas only 14 patients (58%) in the COX-2-positive group achieved complete response (p = 0.03). Compared with the patients in the COX-2-negative group, those in the COX-2-positive group had a significantly lower 2-year systemic recurrence-free survival rate (100% for the COX-2-negative group vs. 54% for the COX-2-positive group) (p = 0.02) and a decreased 5-year overall survival rate (70% for the COX-2-negative group vs. 32% for the COX-2-positive group) (p = 0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cyclooxygenase-2 expression can serve as a predictive factor for poor treatment response, higher systemic recurrence, and unfavorable prognosis in patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Woo-Ick
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eunah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Woong Sub
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Koom
authors.forename: Yong Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Chang Ok
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Joo Hang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gwi Eon
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2