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Updated: Aug 27, 2026

Deficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon Cancer
28:15

Deficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon Cancer

Published on: July 28, 2010

Cyclooxygenases and colon cancer

Naoki Kawai1, Masahiko Tsujii, Shingo Tsuji

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.

Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators
|November 16, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a key role in colon cancer development and progression. Inhibiting COX-2 with drugs like NSAIDs shows promise for colon cancer prevention and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is implicated in colon carcinogenesis.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which target COX-2, reduce colon cancer mortality.
  • Elevated COX-2 mRNA and protein levels are observed in colon cancer tissues and cell lines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of COX-2 in colon cancer.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of COX-2 inhibitors in colon cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of COX-2 expression in patient tissues and cell lines.
  • Studies using murine models of adenomatous polyposis coli.
  • Evaluation of NSAIDs and gene knockouts in reducing intestinal polyps.
  • Assessment of COX-2's role in apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.

Main Results:

  • COX-2 expression in intestinal epithelial cells promotes apoptosis resistance, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.
  • COX-2 in stromal cells contributes to tumor angiogenesis.
  • NSAIDs and COX-2 gene knockouts reduce intestinal polyp formation in mice.
  • NSAIDs demonstrate both COX-2 dependent and independent effects on colon cancer growth.

Conclusions:

  • COX-2 is a significant factor in colon cancer progression.
  • Targeting COX-2 with selective inhibitors offers a promising strategy for colon cancer prevention and treatment.

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