[Expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C in papillary thyroid carcinoma and their relationship to cervical lymph metastases].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in papillary thyroid carcinoma and their relationship to cervical lymph metastases.


METHODS
In this study, the expressions of COX-2 and VEGF-C were examined by immunohistochemistry in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues of 40 patients, and analysis was performed on the correlation of cervical lymph metastases with COX-2 and VEGF-C expression.


RESULTS
Positive expressions of COX-2 and VEGF-C were 70.0% (28/40) and 75.0% (30/40) respectively in papillary thyroid carcinoma. The positive rates of COX-2 and VEGF-C expression were 80.8% (21/26) and 84.6% (22/26) respectively in patients with cervical lymph metastases, and 50.0% (7/14) and 57.1% (8/14) respectively in patients without cervical lymph metastases, with a statistically significant difference between two groups (P<0.05, all). COX-2 was positively correlated to VEGF-C expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (r=0.378, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that COX-2 and VEGF-C were highly expressed in papillary thyroid carcinoma, with possible interaction of their expressions, and may play a critical role in the cervical lymph metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Miao
Ailin
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Wan
Meizhen
M
Cheng
Lei
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
C467486:VEGFC protein, human; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human