环氧化酶-2和血管内皮生长因子与甲状腺癌颈淋巴转移的关系

目的 探讨环氧化酶-2(COX-2)和血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)与甲状腺乳头状癌颈淋巴转移的相关性.方法 采用免疫组织化学方法对79例甲状腺乳头状癌患者肿瘤组织的COX-2和VEGF蛋白表达进行检测,其中伴有颈淋巴结转移(N )的甲状腺乳头状癌患者46例,不伴颈淋巴结转移(N-)患者33例.结果 颈淋巴结转移组(Ⅰ～Ⅱ期)甲状腺乳头状癌原发灶标本COX-2和VEGF的表达阳性率分别为81.6%和86.8%,不伴颈淋巴结转移组甲状腺乳头状癌原发灶标本COX-2和VEGF的表达阳性率分别为54.5%和66.7%,两组之间差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).在颈淋巴结转移组中,原发灶组织COX-2和VEGF的表达具有相关性(P＜0.05).结论 COX-2在甲状腺乳头状癌颈淋巴结转移中起着重要作用,其作用可能通过调控VEGF途径来实现.

Expression of COX-2 and VEGF and their relation with cervical lymph metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression with cervical lymph metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS The expression of COX-2 and VEGF in 79 specimens of papillary thyroid carcinoma were evaluated with SP immunohistochemical methods. In all the 79 cases, there were 46 cases with cervical lymph node metastases and 33 cases without cervical lymph node metastasis. RESULTS The positive expression rates of COX-2 and VEGF in the cases with cervical metastases were 81.6 % and 86.8 % respectively, and in the cases without cervical lymph metastases were 54.5 % and 66.7 % respectively. There was a significant difference in the positive expression rates of COX-2 and VEGF between two groups (P<0.05). In the cases with lymph node metastases, there was positive correlations between COX-2 and VEGF expression(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Overexpression of COX-2 had a critical role in the cervical lymph metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Upregulation of VEGF may be one of its important pathways.