Overexpression of Cyclooxygenase-2 is Associated with Chemoradiotherapy Resistance and Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients
Huang Weizhao2, Fu Jianhua1, Hu Yi1, Liu Mengzhong1, Yang Hong1, Zheng Bin1, Wang Geng1, Rong Tiehua1; 1Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; 2Cancer Center and ZhongShan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan, China
Comment on this Abstract
Objective: To investigate whether Cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) expression can predict the prognosis and response to chemoradiotherpy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods: The clinicopathologic and follow-up data of 112 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, underwent chemoradiotherpy from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2006, were analyzed retrospectively. The immunohistochemical expression level of COX-2 was examined for all biopsy specimens of primary tumors and the correlation of COX-2 expression with response to chemoradiotherpy and prognosis was examined.
Results: COX-2 positive immunostaining was detected in 111 (99.1%) patients including overexpressed in 54(48.2%) patients and low expressed in 58(51.8%) patients. The 1, 3 years overall survival rate of cohort was 65.0% and 32.2%respectively. Response rate of tumors with a low level expression of COX-2(70.7%, 41/58)was significantly higher than that of tumors with COX-2 overexpression(42.6%, 23/54; P=0.003). Patients with low level COX-2 expression had a higher downstaged rate than those with high level COX-2 expression(9/13 VS. 2/8), but no statistical significance (P =0.08). Univariate analysis showed that tumor length, M-stage(nonregional node metastasis), response, and level of COX-2 expression were correlated to prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma received definitive chemoradiotherpy (91 cases)and Multivariate analysis showed only tumor length, M-stage, and response were independent prognosis factors.
Conclusion: The assessment of COX-2 status could provide additional information in order to identify esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients with poor chance of response to chemoradiotherpy and potentially candidates for more individualized treatment.
Back to 88th Annual Meeting
Back to Program Outline
