Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2001 Sep;44(9):957-961.

Expression of Cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• Kim KH
• Cho KH
• Lee KS
• Lim DH
• Paik SH
• Yang HS
• Hong YH
• Kim MK

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
A large body of evidence from a variety of experimental systems suggests that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is important in carcinogenesis. This study was to determine whether cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 were overexpressed in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and discuss the possible causal role of COX-2 in the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma formation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Tissue samples from 21 pateints with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining.
RESULTS
There was an elevation of COX-2 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Normal buccal mucosa biopsies and normal laryngeal epitheliums adjacent to laryngeal cancer showed nondetectable or weak staining for COX-2 protein. There is no difference in the expression of COX -1 in the normal buccal mucosa, normal laryngeal mucosa and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
CONCLUSION
There is an overexpression of COX-2, but not COX-1 in laryngeal squamous cell cancer. This may represent a causal role of COX-2 in the formation and proliferation of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. There may also be another role of selective COX-2 inhibition for treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Keyword

Cyclooxygenase 1; Cyclooxygenase 2; Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Carcinogenesis
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Cyclooxygenase 1*
Cyclooxygenase 2
Laryngeal Mucosa
Laryngeal Neoplasms
Mouth Mucosa
Neoplasms, Squamous Cell
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases*
Cyclooxygenase 1
Cyclooxygenase 2
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases