Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Chondrosarcoma

Abstract

Objective: In recent years it has become evident that tissue cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) may play a role in carcinogenesis and tumor malignancy. There is now a mounting body of information that strongly implies that COX-2 inhibitors may be of some value in the management of patients with carcinomas, and most recently several similar reports have appeared relating to sarcomas. Methods: The authors studied 32 samples of cartilage tumors from our tumor tissue bank for the presence of COX-2 by a Western blot technique. There were 29 patients from whom the samples were obtained, including 8 with enchondromas and 21 with chondrosarcomas. Results: Thirteen of the 24 chondrosarcoma samples and none of the 8 enchondromas were positive for COX-2. An attempt was made to correlate these results with clinical data including age, gender, staging according to the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, anatomical site, ploidic pattern, presence of metastases and death rate but no statistically valid correlation could be found. Conclusion: It is evident that COX-2 may play some role in chondrosarcoma but not in the benign enchondroma and that further studies with COX-2 inhibitors are warranted.

Cytoplasmic Expression of HuR is Related to Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Colon Cancer

“…There is an ARE in the 3-untranslated region of Cox-2 mRNA that provides the binding site for HuR, resulting in increased mRNA half-life (9). Cox-2 is overexpressed in several malignant tumors and the increase in expression may due to dysregulation of mRNA stability (10)(11)(12). Recently, a correlation between the protein expression level of HuR and Cox-2 was found in colon, breast, stomach, ovary and uterine cervical cancer cells (9,(13)(14)(15)(16).…”

Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression associated with a poor prognosis in chondrosarcomas

“…In a previous report, Sutton et al [30] studied COX-2 expression using Western blotting in 32 samples of cartilage tumors, including 24 chondrosarcomas and 8 enchondromas. They stated that no statistically valid correlation could be found between the presence of COX-2, as determined by Western blotting, and clinical data including age, sex, staging, anatomical site, presence of metastases, and death rate [30].…”

Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Clinical Outcome in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

“…21,22 The significance of COX-2 expression by mesenchymal tumors, on the other hand, has not been established. 17 Higher levels of COX-2 have been associated with GIST epithelioid phenotypes and gastric location, both of which are favorable prognostic indicators. 18 Our data support this observation, indicating that high COX-2 protein expression may be associated with a more favorable clinical prognosis in GIST.…”

“…9 Although there exists a growing body of evidence regarding the significance of COX-2 expression in carcinomas, very little is known about the role of COX-2 in tumors of mesenchymal origin. 17 There is evidence that COX-2 is expressed in varying degrees in soft tissue sarcoma, although no correlation can be drawn between the level of COX-2 expression and other clinicopathologic features. 5 Specifically, the role of COX-2 in GIST has only recently been addressed.…”