J Korean Surg Soc.  2010 Mar;78(3):140-148. 10.4174/jkss.2010.78.3.140.

Correlation between COX-2 Expression and Hormone Receptors in Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer

• Lee JA
• Bae JW
• Woo SU
• Kim H
• Kim CH

• KMID: 2211941
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2010.78.3.140

Abstract

PURPOSE
COX-2 is known to be elevated in breast cancer, but the clinical relevance is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic significance and relationship of COX-2 to hormone receptors.
METHODS
Between January 2005 and February 2007, 80 specimens from breast cancer patients at Korea University Anam Hospital were reviewed by one pathologist. COX-2 was analyzed as overexpressed if >10% of the cells were stained. Clinical characteristics, hormone receptor status, and other prognostic factors were investigated to determine their association with COX-2 expression.
RESULTS
COX-2 was overexpressed in 12 patients (15%). Two patients had locoregional recurrence, eight patients had systemic metastasis, and one patient died. There was no statistically significant correlation between COX-2 expression and age, size, nodal status, histological grade, hormone receptor status, and HER-2/neu positivity. Among tumors that had a positive expression of ER and PR, COX-2 expression was related to larger size (P-value 0.001 and 0.009, respectively) and nodal status (P-value 0.048 and 0.009, respectively). However, there was no statistically significant correlation with tumors that had negative ER or PR expression.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that in breast cancer, COX-2 expression has no relationship with clinicopathologic factors; however, a correlation was noted in size and nodal status for ER- and PR-positive tumors. Further prospective study with larger population to clarify the relationship between COX-2 expression and hormone receptor status is necessary.

Keyword

Cyclooxygenase 2; Breast cancer; Estrogen receptor; Progesterone receptor

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Cyclooxygenase 2
Humans
Korea
Neoplasm Metastasis
Receptors, Progesterone
Recurrence
Cyclooxygenase 2
Receptors, Progesterone

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Cox-2 immunohistochemical staining in invasive ductal breast carcinoma. (A) Negative immunoreactivity (H&E stain, ×400). (B) Positive immunoreactivity in cytoplasm of >10% of tumor cells (H&E stain, ×400).

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  Fig. 2 Disease-free survival (DFS) according to COX-2 expression.

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  Fig. 3 Disease-free survival (DFS) comparison by hormone receptor status. (A) ER positive group. (B) ER negative group. (C) PR negative group. Survival curve couldn't be drawn in PR positive group because of small number of events.

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