A study on expression pattern of cyclooxygenase-2 in carcinoma of cervix

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in cervical cancer is associated with lymphovascular invasion

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The current study analyzed the effect of COX-2 expression in patients with invasive squamous cervical cancer. Tissue samples from 123 cervical cancer patients were collected for a retrospective analysis using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with an antibody against COX-2. The clinical and survival data of the patients were analyzed. Positive staining for COX-2 (defined as an immunoreactivity score of ≥4) was detected in 28 patients (23%), with significantly higher percentages of staining in tumor cells compared with peritumoral stroma cells (P<0.001). COX-2 expression was significantly associated with lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI; P=0.017). The association of COX-2 expression with LVSI suggests a possible effect of COX-2 on tumor progression in cervical cancer. Further studies including larger patient collectives are required in order to perform analyses of clinical subgroups and patient survival.

Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) Downregulates the Expression of Protumor Factors Cyclooxygenase-2 and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in a GM-CSF Receptor-Independent Manner in Cervical Cancer Cells

Enhanced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is associated with the pathogenic processes of various tumor types. COX-2 and iNOS expression in the immunomodulatory dendritic cells is mediated by the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which is also expressed by cervical cancer cells; however, whether and how GM-CSF regulates COX-2 and iNOS expression in clinical cervical cancer cells remain unknown. In this study, we found that the COX-2 and iNOS expression was upregulated in the cervical cancer tissues and positively correlated with cancer metastasis and stage. About one-half of the cervical cancer tissues showed strong/moderate GM-CSF expression, while the normal cervical tissues showed >80% positive rate; no GM-CSFR protein was detectable on the cervical cancer cells. The GM-CSF expression was negatively correlated with the COX-2 and iNOS expression in the cervical cancer tissues and the functional negative regulatory effect of GM-CSF on COX-2/iNOS expression was demonstrated in various cervical cancer cell lines. Therefore, in cervical cancer cells, GM-CSF might contribute an antitumor response by inhibiting iNOS and COX-2 expression in a GM-CSFR independent manner.

Cyclooxygenase-2--An Imperative Prognostic Biomarker in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma--An Immunohistochemical Study

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with metastasis and tumor recurrence resulting in 90 % of cancer associated mortality. COX-2, an inflammatory biomarker, has been shown to play a significant role in tumorigenesis of OSCC. To study the expression of COX-2 in OSCC by immunohistochemistry and investigate its association with the clinicopathological parameters including patient survival. A cross sectional study was carried out in 75 histologically confirmed cases of OSCC. COX-2 expression was evaluated by indirect streptavidin biotin method. The expression was semi-quantitatively assessed using established criteria. The expression profile of COX-2 was correlated with the clinicopathological details like tumor size, regional lymphnode metastasis, distant metastasis, clinical stage, local recurrence of tumor, histological grade, and survival of patient. Chi square and Kaplan Meier statistical tests were applied for assessing this association. COX-2 expression was absent in normal oral mucosa. Over expression of COX-2 was seen in 58 out of 75 specimens of OSCC. Overexpression of COX-2 was significantly associated with the lymphnode involvement, histological grade, local recurrence of tumor and patient survival. COX-2 expression represents an important biomarker of prognostic significance that may be used to identify a subset of patients at high risk and to predict patient survival.