Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Angiogenesis in Invasive Cervical Cancer / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: A large body of evidence suggests that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is important in tumor growth and angiogenesis of gastrointestinal and other cancers. This was the study to determine the relationship between tumor vascularity and COX-2 expression in invasive cervical cancer. METHODS: We examined the expression of COX-2 and microvessel density (MVD) by immunohis- tochemical staining in 21 specimens collected from invasive cervical cancer patients. RESULTS: All specimens showed weak and strong immunoreactivity, with 52.4% strong reactivity. Microvessel count was higher (median 136) in the strong COX-2 immunoreactivity specimens than the weaks (median 90), and MVD was significantly correlated with the COX-2 immunoreactivity (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: These preliminary data indicate that overexpression of COX-2 may play an important role in carcinogenesis of cervical cancer and this could be partially attributable to modulation of angiogenesis by COX-2. COX-2 maybe a target for future research in the tumorigenesis of the invasive cervical cancer.

The efficacy of nuchal translucency with free beta-hCG, PAPP-A as a screening test for detection of chromosomal anomaly in the first trimester of pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of nuchal translucency in combination with free beta-hCG, PAPP-A in the first trimester screening for chromosomal anomaly in general population. METHODS: Between April 1998 and December 1999, we evaluated 263 pregnant women undergoing first trimester screening test for fetal chromosomal anomaly using nuchal translucency combined with free beta-hCG, PAPP-A. We confirmed the pregnancy outcomes through chorionic villi sampling, amniocentesis or term delivery. We excluded 15 pregnant women because of their obscure pregnancy outcomes. Statistical analysis was considered significant when P value was lower than 0.05. RESULTS: With a risk cut-off of 1 in 400, 24 pregnancies(9.7%) of 248 cases were screen positive and 224 pregnancies(90.3%) were screen negative. 2 cases of Down syndrome and 1 case of Turner syndrome were detected in screen positive group. No chromosomal anomalies were detected in screen negative group. CONCLUSION: In this study, 8.57% of false positive rate and 12.5% of positive predictive value were obtained in the first trimester screening for chromosomal anomaly using nuchal translucency and serum markers.

Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Ovarian Tumors / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: A large body of evidence suggests that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is important in tumorigenesis of gastrointestinal and other cancers. This was the study to determine whether COX-2 was also expressed in benign and malignant ovarian tumors. METHODS: We studied the expression of COX-2 in various ovarian tumors [ Benign epithelial tumors (n=10), borderline epithelial tumors (n=12), malignant epithelial tumor (n=12), nonepithelial tumors(n=10) ] by immunohistochemistry. Results of immunoreactivity was classified semiquantitatively based on the proportion and intensity of tumor cell immunostaining. RESULTS: In the epithelial ovarian tumors, the intensity of immunostaining was stronger in the malignant tumors than the benign and borderline tumors (p<0.001). Especially all serous and mucinous malignant tumors (n=9) showed weak and strong immunoreactivity, with 66.7% strong reactivity. None of the nonepithelial ovarian tumors expressed COX-2 immunoreactivity. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data indicate that COX-2 may have a role in carcinogenesis of epithelial ovarian tumors, especially in the serous and mucinous types. COX-2 maybe a target for future research in the tumorigenesis of the epithelial ovarian malignancies.

Aggressive Angiomyxoma of the Vagina / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Aggressive angiomyxoma is a rare pathological condition which affects mainly the soft tissues of the pelvis and perineum in women. It is circumscribed totally or partially and has a infiltrative margin, so it has a tendency for local recurrence. We report a 33-year-old woman who presented with a mass arising within the vaginal wall which was painless, soft and movable like a cyst on palpation. The mass was surgically excised and pathologically proved to be an aggressive angiomyxoma.