Expression of COX-2 and VEGF and their relation with cervical lymph metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression with cervical lymph metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS The expression of COX-2 and VEGF in 79 specimens of papillary thyroid carcinoma were evaluated with SP immunohistochemical methods. In all the 79 cases, there were 46 cases with cervical lymph node metastases and 33 cases without cervical lymph node metastasis. RESULTS The positive expression rates of COX-2 and VEGF in the cases with cervical metastases were 81.6 % and 86.8 % respectively, and in the cases without cervical lymph metastases were 54.5 % and 66.7 % respectively. There was a significant difference in the positive expression rates of COX-2 and VEGF between two groups (P