Suppression of COX-2 protein to cell apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>One of mechanisms of carcinogenesis is suppression of cell apoptosis which leads to accumulation of aberrant cells. The aim of this study is to investigate cell apoptosis and COX-2 protein expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cell apoptosis, expression of COX-2 and microvessel density (MVD) were detcted in 111 NSCLC samples by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique and immunohistochemical staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of COX-2 protein expression was 67.6% (75/111), and there were 53 patients with high level cell apoptosis (47.7%). Expression of COX-2 protien was significantly related to TNM stages (P=0.025) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.018). The MVD in NSCLC tissues with positive COX-2 expression was significantly higher than that in negative expression ones (P=0.000). COX model showed that lymph node metastasis (P=0.006) and positive expression of COX-2 protein (P=0.000) were independent prognostic factors of NSCLC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of COX-2 protein may suppress cell apoptosis of tumor, and it may serve as a potential marker of prognosis for NSCLC.</p>