title: Cyclooxygenase-2 and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2) expression simultaneously in invasive and in situ breast ductal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2) are associated with tumorigenesis. Studies have shown that HER-2 can regulate COX-2 expression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between COX-2 and HER-2 expression in normal breast epithelium and in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) present in the same breast.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study at the Mastology Unit of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  COX-2 and HER-2 were detected using immunohistochemistry on 100 tissue fragments. HER-2 > +2 was subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  COX-2 expression was detected in 87%, 85% and 75% of IDC, DCIS and normal epithelium, respectively. HER-2 expression was detected in 34% of IDC and 34% of DCIS. COX-2 in DCIS correlated with HER-2 in IDC (P = 0.049) and DCIS (P = 0.049). COX-2 in normal epithelium correlated with HER-2 in IDC (P = 0.046) and DCIS (P = 0.046). COX-2 in IDC was not associated with HER-2 (P = 0.235). Comparison between COX-2 and HER-2 in DCIS showed that there was a statistically significant difference with regard to nuclear grades II and III and presence of comedonecrosis (P < 0.001). In IDC, there was significant expression with nuclear grades II and III and histological grade II (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide evidence that HER-2 and COX-2 regulate each other.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo Hospital, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. adrilucarelli@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Adrienne Pratti
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lucarelli
authors.forename: Maria Marta
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Wagner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Montor
authors.forename: Vilmar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Maria Antonieta Longo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Sebastião
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases