Cyclooxygenase-2 expression correlates with apoptosis and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer tissue.
BACKGROUND
Recent experimental studies have indicated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) suppresses tumor-cell apoptosis and induces intratumoral angiogenesis.


METHODS
A series of 70 endometrial cancer cases that had undergone a curative resection was studied to determine the correlation between COX-2 expression, apoptosis and angiogenesis in human endometrial cancer tissue. Tissue specimens were evaluated for COX-2, single-strand DNA (ssDNA, apoptosis) and CD31 (angiogenesis) by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
COX-2 expression was positive exclusively in cancer cells in 37 cases (53%). The apoptotic index was lower in COX-2-positive cancer cells than COX-2-negative cases. Microvessel density was higher in COX-2-positive cancer cases than COX-2-negative cases. COX-2 overexpression was significantly associated with poor prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that tumor-produced COX-2, which was associated with inhibiting apoptosis and promoting angiogenesis, provided additional prognostic information in endometrial cancer patients.
Ohno
Satoshi
S
Departments of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Clinical R&D, Ishikawa, Japan. satoshio@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Ohno
Yumiko
Y
Suzuki
Nobutaka
N
Soma
Gen-Ichiro
G
Inoue
Masaki
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2