Abstract

BACKGROUND
The overexpression of Cox-2 in tumors is important for tumor invasion, angiogenesis, resistance to apoptosis and the suppression of host immunity. Moreover, a tumor's CD44 expression plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. We examined the expression of COX-2 and also CD44 and its variants as well as the biological implications and relationship between Cox-2 and the CD44 variants in non-small cell lung carcinoma.
METHODS
The expressions of Cox-2 and also CD44s and its variants (CD44v3 and CD44v6) were examined by performing immunohistochemistry on 98 surgical specimens.
RESULTS
The expressions of CD44s, CD44v3 and CD44v6 were significantly more frequent in squamous cell carcinoma specimens than in the adenocarcinoma (CD44s, p=0.033; CD44v3, p=0.007; CD44v6, p=0.022). The loss of CD44s and CD44v3 were significantly correlated with poor tumor differentiation (CD44s, p=0.03; CD44v3, p=0.011). Patients with Cox-2 positive-adenocarcinoma tumors had a significantly worse cumulative survival than did those adenocarcinoma patients without the Cox-2 (p=0.048). The expression of Cox-2 was significantly associated with the CD44s expression in non-small cell lung cancer, and especially in squamous cell carcinoma.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that expression of CD44s is associated with the expression of Cox-2 in NSCLC, and especially squamous cell carcinoma.

• Keywords: Carcinoma, Non-small-cell lung;Cyclooxygease-2;Antigens, CD44;