title: Expression of COX-2, MMP-2 and VEGF in stage II and III colorectal cancer and the clinical significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of COX-2, MMP-2 and VEGF in colorectal cancer and the clinical/pathological significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stage II and III colorectal cancer patients (149 cases) that received radical resection between May 2003 and November 2008 and who had complete clinical and pathological data, were recruited in this study. Expression of COX-2, MMP-2 and VEGF were detected by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of COX-2, MMP-2, and VEGF expression was 60.4%, 50.3% and 69.1%, respectively. COX-2 correlated with stage, lymph node metastasis, postoperative recurrence and metastasis, and survival rate; MMP-2 correlated with intestinal wall invasion, stage, number of lymph node metastasis, postoperative recurrence and metastasis, and survival rate; VEGF correlated with preoperative serum levels of CEA and CA199, postoperative recurrence and metastasis, and survival rate; the positive rate of COX-2, MMP-2 and VEGF co-expression was 32.9%, which correlated with stage, number of lymph node metastasis, preoperative serum level of CEA, postoperative recurrence and metastasis, and survival rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of COX-2, MMP-2 and VEGF in colorectal cancer plays a synergistic promoting effect on the malignant biological behavior of tumors, which could be used as a marker to determine the malignant progression, invasion and metastasis, and prognosis of the tumor.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Heng
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: De-Sen
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Li-Ren
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhen-Hai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ling-Heng
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Zhi-Zhong
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2