Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 associated with expression of VEGF in primary cervical cancer and at metastatic lymph nodes

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the relationship between expression of COX-1, COX-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and their association with clinicopathological features in primary tumor and metastatic lymph node specimens from cervical cancer patients. The relationship between COX-2 expression and human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity was also examined. METHODS: The following samples were analyzed: 97 paraffin-embedded specimens from patients with cervical cancer (Ib-IIb), including 49 primary cervical cancer specimens without lymph node metastasis and 24 primary specimens with lymph node metastasis and their metastatic lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with antibodies to COX-1, COX-2, and VEGF. HPV viratype was identified by PCR and HPVDNAChip. RESULTS: VEGF expression was strongly correlated with expression of COX-1 (P = 0.03) and not COX-2 (P = 0.12) in primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. COX-2 expression correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001), but not with any other clinicopathological features. The parametrial invasion showed borderline significance with COX-2 expression (P = 0.058). COX-1 or VEGF expression did not correlate with any clinicopathological features. In addition, COX-2 expression was not associated with HPV positivity.COX-1 expression is associated with VEGF expression in primary tumor tissue and at sites of metastasis to lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: COX-2 expression is associated with lymph node metastasis and possibly parametrial invasion, but expression of COX-1 and VEGF is not associated with clinicopathological features. COX-2 expression is not associated with HPV positivity.