Coexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in gastrointestinal stromal tumor: possible relations to pathological parameters and clinical behavior.
OBJECTIVE
Currently, the clinicopathological significance of coexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has not been fully described.


METHODS
The present study was designed to investigate the co-expression of the two markers and its significance in 54 patients with GIST by means of immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
We demonstrated that the expressions of COX-2 and VEGF were significantly higher in malignant GIST than those in benign and potentially malignant GIST (p<0.01). A significant correlation was found between COX-2 and VEGF expression. In addition, the expressions of COX-2 and VEGF were significantly correlated with pattern of tumor growth, the size of tumors, and the central necrosis of tumors (p<0.01 or p<0.05). Five-year survival rates were much lower in patterns with high expression of COX-2 and VEGF than those with low expression (p<0.01). Overexpression of COX-2 and VEGF in GIST may enhance the possibility of growth, invasion, and metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of COX-2 and VEGF expression can be used as objective parameters in distinguishing benign from malignant, judging the malignant degree, and predicting the prognosis of patients with GIST.
Miao
Ruizheng
R
Department of Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, P.R. China.
Liu
Naiqing
N
Wang
Yongkang
Y
Li
Leping
L
Yu
Xiaobo
X
Jiang
Yanming
Y
Li
Jianfeng
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2