Expressions of COX-2 and MMP-2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the their relationship with lymph node metastasis / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To study the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and their relationship with lymph node metastasis.@*METHOD@#The expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 in 86 NPC tissues and 30 normal nasopharyngeal tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis.@*RESULT@#The positive rate of COX-2 and MMP-2 in NPC tissue was 75.58% and 66.28% respectively, which was significantly higher than that in normal nasopharyngeal (P < 0.01). The expression of both COX-2 and MMP-2 were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between the expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 (P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#COX-2 and MMP-2 expression are increased in NPC, and they may cooperate in the course of lymph metastasis of NPC.