[Expression and prognostic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 in supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression and prognostic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) in supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SGLSCC) and identify the relationship between Cox-2 and angiogenesis and the roles of Cox-2 in SGLSCC as a biological marker.


METHODS
Eighty-eight primary SGLSCC patients received surgical treatment were studied by immunohistochemical staining, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.


RESULTS
The percentage of Cox-2-positive cells was 94.3% (83/88) in SGLSCC whereas there was no immunostaining in the all cells of normal mucosa of paracarcinoma. Cox-2 expression was higher in well-differentiated tumors compared with poorly-differentiated SGLSCC. The relative concentration of Cox-2 mRNA was 141.871 +/- 20.5435 in SGLSCC and 17.031 +/- 2.2597 in normal paracarcinoma mucosa (P < 0.01). It was significantly higher in SGLSCC than in normal paracarcinoma mucosa. In SGLSCC, only pathological grading and the percentage of Cox-2-positive cells had significant correlation (P < 0.01). And not only the percentage of Cox-2-positive cells but also Cox-2 intensity had significant correlation with microvessel density (MVD) (P < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed there had significant relationship between Cox-2 intensity and cumulative survival rate of SGLSCC patients (P < 0.05). But the percentage of Cox-2-positive cells was different (P > 0.05). Cox's regression analysis indicated that Cox-2 intensity were significantly independent prognostic factors (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Cox-2 expression maybe relate to the carcinogenesis and progress in tumors especially in well-differentiated ones; The changes of Cox-2 expression are synchronous with MVD. Cox-2 intensity is a significantly independent prognostic factor. So Cox-2 may be an effective target of prevention, therapy and prognostic evaluation for laryngeal carcinoma and other head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).
Li
Jun
J
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China. lisacmu2@163.com
Zhang
An
A
Chen
Xiaoqiu
X
Ren
Zhong
Z
Pan
Zimin
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human