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Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression in colorectal cancer is associated with non-polypoid growth
Hidefumi Tsunozaki1, Keigo Yoshinaga, Jirou Kumagai
1Digestive Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Background:
Cyclooxygenase-2 is considered to play an important role in colorectal tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 expression and morphology in colorectal cancer.
Methods:
We investigated cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression and type of growth (polypoid or non-polypoid according to Shimoda's classification) in 69 colorectal cancers by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and histologic examination. Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression was assessed as a ratio relative to cyclooxygenase-1 mRNA expression (cyclooxygenase-2 index).
Results:
Cyclooxygenase-2 indices in normal colorectal mucosa, polypoid cancer and non-polypoid cancer were 0.7 +/- 0.1, 1.0 +/- 0.1 and 1.9 +/- 0.1, respectively. The cyclooxygenase-2 index in non-polypoid cancer was significantly higher than in polypoid cancer (P = 0.0002) or normal mucosa (P < 0.0001). No difference in cyclooxygenase-2 index was found between polypoid cancer and normal mucosa (P = 0.67).
Conclusions:
These results suggest that cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression in colorectal cancer is associated with non-polypoid growth.