title: Cyclooxygenase-2 expression and its association with angiogenesis, Helicobacter pylori, and clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric carcinoma.
abstract: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is upregulated in gastric carcinoma, and its increased levels were found to have a prognostic significance in some studies. Both angiogenesis and Helicobacter pylori infection have been reported to be associated with COX-2 expression of gastric cancer in recent studies. In this study, COX-2 expression and its association with CD31 staining, H.-pylori infection, and well-known clinicopathological factors were investigated in 65 gastric cancer patients. COX-2 and CD31 expression assessment was done by immunohistochemical methods. Whartin Starry stain was performed for H.-pylori infection. Of 65 patients, 32 (49%) revealed intense COX-2 immunostaining. Among various clinicopathologic characteristics, COX-2 expression was inversely correlated with tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node status. Thirty-two (49%) patients revealed intense CD31 immunostaining. Among various clinicopathologic characteristics, CD31 expression was associated only with lymph node metastasis. COX-2 expression was not correlated with CD31 staining and H.-pylori infection. Both COX-2 and CD31 staining had no prognostic significance. In conclusion, we found that COX-2 expression was significantly higher in earlier stages of gastric cancer. It can be suggested that COX-2 expression may be important in the initial development of gastric cancer but not in progression of the disease. Other factors which may be associated with COX-2 in gastric cancer, including angiogenesis and H.-pylori infection, should be investigated in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yamac
authors.forename: Talat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayyildiz
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.forename: Nalan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akyürek
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: Selda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seckin
authors.forename: Fulya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koybasioglu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human