title: Hypermethylation of the COX-2 gene is a potential prognostic marker for cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the DNA hypermethylation profiles of 14 genes known to be associated with tumor behavior and their clinical significance in cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical features of 82 patients with stage IB cervical cancer were analyzed in terms of DNA hypermethylation of 14 genes (hMLH1, p16, COX-2, CDH1, APC, DAPK, MGMT, p14, RASSF1A, RUNX3, TIMP3, FHIT, THBS1, and HLTF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 14 genes investigated, only hypermethylation of COX-2 showed significant association with poor disease-free survival (P = 0.001). To further investigate an alteration in COX-2 expression by DNA hypermethylation, immunohistochemistry for COX-2 protein was performed in the cervical cancer tissues. We found no significant association between hypermethylation and expression patterns of the COX-2 gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that DNA hypermethylation of the COX-2 gene may be a potential prognostic marker in early stage cervical cancer, the underlying mechanism of which is independent of gene silencing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoenil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Sokbom
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jae W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyeong H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Noh H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sang Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hyo P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007723:Korea; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2