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Published on: July 17, 2013
Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in chondrosarcoma
Karen M Sutton1, Marianne Wright, Gertrud Fondren
1Orthopedic Biological Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Objective:
In recent years it has become evident that tissue cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) may play a role in carcinogenesis and tumor malignancy. There is now a mounting body of information that strongly implies that COX-2 inhibitors may be of some value in the management of patients with carcinomas, and most recently several similar reports have appeared relating to sarcomas.
Methods:
The authors studied 32 samples of cartilage tumors from our tumor tissue bank for the presence of COX-2 by a Western blot technique. There were 29 patients from whom the samples were obtained, including 8 with enchondromas and 21 with chondrosarcomas.
Results:
Thirteen of the 24 chondrosarcoma samples and none of the 8 enchondromas were positive for COX-2. An attempt was made to correlate these results with clinical data including age, gender, staging according to the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, anatomical site, ploidic pattern, presence of metastases and death rate but no statistically valid correlation could be found.
Conclusion:
It is evident that COX-2 may play some role in chondrosarcoma but not in the benign enchondroma and that further studies with COX-2 inhibitors are warranted.
Insights
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is present in chondrosarcoma but not enchondroma, suggesting a role in this cancer. Further research into COX-2 inhibitors for chondrosarcoma treatment is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Tissue cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is implicated in carcinogenesis and tumor malignancy.
- COX-2 inhibitors show potential in managing carcinomas and sarcomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of COX-2 in cartilage tumors.
- To determine if COX-2 expression correlates with tumor type (enchondroma vs. chondrosarcoma).
Main Methods:
- Western blot technique used to detect COX-2.
- Analysis of 32 cartilage tumor samples (8 enchondromas, 21 chondrosarcomas).
Main Results:
- COX-2 was detected in 13 of 24 chondrosarcoma samples.
- COX-2 was not detected in any of the 8 enchondroma samples.
- No statistically significant correlation found between COX-2 presence and clinical data.
Conclusions:
- COX-2 appears to play a role in chondrosarcoma but not in benign enchondromas.
- Further studies on COX-2 inhibitors for chondrosarcoma are warranted.
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