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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors
Published on: May 17, 2013
Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression is related to polypoid growth and K-ras gene mutation in T1 colorectal carcinomas
Takuya Okawa1, Keigo Yoshinaga, Hiroyuki Uetake
1Department of Digestive Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan
Purpose:
Cyclooxygenase-2 is thought to play a role in the development of intestinal tumors and levels are elevated in approximately 80 to 90 percent of human colorectal carcinomas. To clarify the role that cyclooxygenase-2 plays in the development of colorectal carcinoma, we studied the relationship between cyclooxygenase-2 expression and tumor morphology and that between cyclooxygenase-2 expression and K-ras mutation.
Methods:
We classified 48 T1 colorectal carcinomas as polypoid or nonpolypoid and analyzed the clinicopathologic features. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 was determined immunohistochemically, and nested polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism detected a K-ras codon 12 mutation.
Results:
Cyclooxygenase-2 expression was higher in polypoid carcinomas than in nonpolypoid carcinomas (P < 0.001). The K-ras codon 12 mutation was associated with higher levels of cyclooxygenase-2 expression compared with carcinomas without this mutation (P = 0.028).
Conclusions:
Polypoid growth and K-ras gene mutation are both associated with increased levels of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in T1 tumors.
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