PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CYCLOOXYGENASE (COX-1 AND COX-2) EXPRESSION IN ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA (AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY)
Russian Center for Research in Radiological and Surgical Technologies, St. Petersburg An immunohistochemical study of 100 endometrial adenocarcinomas assessed expression of COX-1 (40%) and COX-2 (72% ) cyclooxygenases. An inverse correlation between COX-2 expression and tumor cell differentiation was matched by a direct one between COX-2 expression and survival. In cases of no expression, overall relapse-free 5-year survival was 92 and 88%, respectively, while distinct expression was associated with 52 and 48%, respectively (p=0.0004; 0.0005). Similar relationships were reported for COX-1, although the significance was lower (p=0.02). Since the differences in survival vis-a-vis clinico-morphological features were insignificant, except for COX-1, COX-2 expression, the latter characteristics should be regarded as independent prognosticators, much more superior to such traditional factors as stage and cell differentiation.