The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 expression on tumor volume response in patients treated with radiotherapy for uterine cervical cancer

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science 2009, 24(6), 133, pp.1170-1176
• Main Authors: Kang, Min Kyu, Park, Won, Choi, Yoon-La, Cho, Eun Yoon, Ahn, Geunghwan, Nam, Heerim, Huh, Seung Jae, Ahn, Yong Chan, Lim, Do Hoon, Oh, Dong Ryul, Bae, Duk Soo, Kim, Byoung Gie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - enzymology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - radiotherapy; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasm Staging; Original; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - enzymology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - radiotherapy; 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2009.24.6.1170

We investigated the correlation between Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and the tumor response in patients with cervical cancer that were treated with curative radiotherapy (RT). Fifty-seven patients with squamous cell carcinoma were treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy (CRCT, n=29) or RT alone (n=28). The response of each patient was evaluated by three serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging examinations: before the start of RT, at four weeks after the start of RT (mid-RT) and at four weeks after the completion of RT (post-RT). Forty-three patients had positive COX-2 expression. The COX-2 negative patients achieved a higher rate of complete response (CR) at mid-RT than did the COX-2 positive patients (28.6% vs. 7.0%, P=0.054), but not at post-RT (64.3% vs. 69.8%). The initial tumor volume was a significant predictor of CR at mid-RT (P=0.003) and post-RT (P=0.004). The multivariate analysis showed that the initial tumor volume (at mid-RT and post-RT) and CRCT (at post-RT) were significant predictors of CR; however, the COX-2 expression was not. In conclusion, the COX-2 expression status has no significant correlation with the tumor response. Further studies on the changes in COX-2 expression levels during RT may be helpful for determination of its role in the tumor response to treatment and patient prognosis.