Clinicopathologic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in human breast carcinoma.
- Author:
Da PANG
1
;
Xianqi ZHAO
;
Yingwei XUE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; Biomarkers, Tumor; biosynthesis; genetics; Breast Neoplasms; enzymology; metabolism; Cyclooxygenase 2; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Isoenzymes; biosynthesis; genetics; physiology; Membrane Proteins; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; biosynthesis; genetics; physiology; RNA, Messenger; biosynthesis; RNA, Neoplasm; analysis; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- From: Chinese Journal of Oncology 2002;24(6):567-569
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo study the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene in breast cancer and its clinicopathologic characteristics.
METHODSWith beta-actin gene as reference, the COX-2 mRNA was monitored in 30 specimens of breast cancer tissue and adjacent normal breast tissue by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
RESULTSThe COX-2 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in most breast cancer tissues with range of 0.05 - 0.91 (median 0.56), which was rare in normal breast tissue with range of 0 - 0.09 (median 0). The difference of COX-2 mRNA expression between cancer and normal breast tissue was significant (rank sum test, P < 0.05). COX-2 overexpression in breast cancer was related to its lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05) but not to age, tumor size, pathologic grade or pathologic type (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONThe level of COX-2 mRNA expression is obviously higher in the breast cancer tissue than that in normal breast tissue. COX-2 overexpression may play a crucial role in the carcinogenesis, development of cancer and lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients.
