Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA in peripheral blood of head and neck cancer patients and in healthy controls. A pilot study.
CONCLUSIONS
Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA (COX2) levels are higher in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients than in controls and this correlates with tumor size and outcome. These findings suggest the use of this parameter as a future tumor marker.


OBJECTIVE
We analyzed the expression of COX2 mRNA in peripheral blood cells in HNC patients and in healthy controls and its relationship with outcome and progression-free survival.


METHODS
Blood samples were obtained from 41 consecutive HNC patients and 16 healthy controls and analyzed for COX2 mRNA with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and compared with beta-actin as a house-keeping gene.


RESULTS
Treatment consisted of surgery only (4 patients), chemoradiotherapy (18), chemotherapy followed by curative surgery (4) or palliative chemotherapy (15). COX2 mRNA levels were higher in patients with unfavorable outcome (mean 6.8, median 2.06) than those with favorable outcome (mean 1.2, median 1.31) (p=0.062). Both were higher than for healthy controls (mean 0.74, median 0.72; p<0.001). In bulky tumors, the percentage of level over 6 in unfavorable outcome cases was higher than in the favorable outcome cases (p=0.005). In chemotherapy patients with level <or=1 no relapse or progression was observed (n=7), and progression-free survival was significantly better than those with level >1 (n=19) (p=0.0138).
Grau
Juan J
JJ
Oncology Department of Hospital Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Barcelona, Spain.
Monzó
Mariano
M
Caballero
Miguel
M
Carles
Joan
J
Palmero
Ramón
R
Artells
Rosa
R
Pico
Cesar
C
Gascon
Pere
P
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000199:Actins; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human