title: Immunohistochemical expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in patients with advanced cancer of the larynx who have undergone induction chemotherapy with the intention of preserving phonation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) is an enzyme that plays a role in different stages of the carcinogenic process and has prognostic and predictive values that have not yet been established. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of COX2 overexpression in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx that has been treated with a phonation conservation protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included a retrospective analysis of 59 patients with resectable tumours that were treated with chemotherapy (CT) and/or radiation therapy (RT). The expression levels of COX2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR-2) in collected biopsy specimens were determined via immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four percent of the included samples demonstrated overexpression of COX2. In the statistical analysis, COX2 overexpression did not correlate with other clinical or treatment efficacy prognostic factors; however, the median global survival (OS) of patients whose tumours expressed COX2 was 79 months, whereas COX2-negative patients had a median OS of only 38 months, although this finding did not reach statistical significance. The other analysed biological parameters did not demonstrate a significant relationship with COX2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COX2 overexpression was a common finding in our study. The results obtained did not reveal relationships with established prognostic categories; however, the difference in survival between patients with and without COX2 expression justifies the need for future prospective studies that utilise a larger patient sample size.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Oncology department, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, Km 187, C. P. 29603, Marbella, Malaga, Spain. eliperu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Ruiz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cazorla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trigo
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matilla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rueda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010699:Phonation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2