title: The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 expression on tumor volume response in patients treated with radiotherapy for uterine cervical cancer.
abstract: We investigated the correlation between Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and the tumor response in patients with cervical cancer that were treated with curative radiotherapy (RT). Fifty-seven patients with squamous cell carcinoma were treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy (CRCT, n=29) or RT alone (n=28). The response of each patient was evaluated by three serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging examinations: before the start of RT, at four weeks after the start of RT (mid-RT) and at four weeks after the completion of RT (post-RT). Forty-three patients had positive COX-2 expression. The COX-2 negative patients achieved a higher rate of complete response (CR) at mid-RT than did the COX-2 positive patients (28.6% vs. 7.0%, P=0.054), but not at post-RT (64.3% vs. 69.8%). The initial tumor volume was a significant predictor of CR at mid-RT (P=0.003) and post-RT (P=0.004). The multivariate analysis showed that the initial tumor volume (at mid-RT and post-RT) and CRCT (at post-RT) were significant predictors of CR; however, the COX-2 expression was not. In conclusion, the COX-2 expression status has no significant correlation with the tumor response. Further studies on the changes in COX-2 expression levels during RT may be helpful for determination of its role in the tumor response to treatment and patient prognosis.
authors: Department of Radiation and Oncology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors: Min Kyu
authors: MK
authors: Kang
authors: Won
authors: W
authors: Park
authors: Yoon-La
authors: YL
authors: Choi
authors: Eun Yoon
authors: EY
authors: Cho
authors: Geunghwan
authors: G
authors: Ahn
authors: Heerim
authors: H
authors: Nam
authors: Seung Jae
authors: SJ
authors: Huh
authors: Yong Chan
authors: YC
authors: Ahn
authors: Do Hoon
authors: DH
authors: Lim
authors: Dong Ryul
authors: DR
authors: Oh
authors: Duk Soo
authors: DS
authors: Bae
authors: Byoung Gie
authors: BG
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy
chemical_list: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human