BACKGROUND/AIMS

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) plays an important role in the development of some human cancers, especially in the development of pulmonary, colon, and breast carcinomas. Overexpression of COX2 has been involved in the pathogenesis of a wide range of malignancies, such as colon, breast, and lung cancer, and has been associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The COX2 pathway has been involved in several processes associated with tumor progressions, such as angiogenesis, proliferation, and invasion. This study aimed to determine whether COX2 can be used as a prognostic marker in breast cancer.

MATERIAL and METHODS

We evaluated immunohistochemical expressions of COX2 in 100 patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma and compared its utility as a prognostic parameter. In the evaluation of the data, chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between mean, standard deviation, and COX2 and the relationship between other independent variables in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 24 software package.

RESULTS

A positive correlation was found between COX2 expression and estrogen receptor positivity, tumor grade, Ki67 proliferation index, tumor size, advanced age, and triple-negative subtypes (P<.005). However, there was no association with HER2 positivity, progesterone receptor positivity, and nonluminal type.

CONCLUSION

In breast cancer, COX2 expression has a positive correlation with some prognostic parameters; however, it has an inverse correlation with some others.

Keywords: Breast cancer, COX2, immunohistochemistry