Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Uterine Leiomyosarcomas

Abstract

Many studies have focused on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) alterations as a critical step in the onset and progression of cancer. Moreover, a strong correlation between COX-2 and chemoresistance has been demonstrated in several carcinomas. Recently, COX-2 expression has been observed in uterine carcinosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. We investigated COX-2 expression in chemoresistant uterine leiomyosarcoma in 30 patients who had undergone surgical treatment. COX-2 expression was observed in 13 cases (43.3%). Of the 13 patients with distinct COX-2 positive immunoreactivity uterine leiomyosarcomas, 7 had stage I or II disease and 6 had stage III or IV disease.

The expression of COX-2 in uterine stromal malignancies may reveal a thera-peutic hypothesis in the context of uterine leiomyosarcoma molecular chemothera-peutic approach.

Keywords:

• Cyclooxygenase-2
• uterine leiomyosarcoma
• therapy
• prognosis