Objective:Tostudytherelationshipbetweencyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)expressionandtumorangiogenesisinhumanbreastcancer.Methods:Archivalprimarybreastcarcinomas(n=62),adjacentductalcarcinomainsitu(DCIS,n=13)andDCISalone(n=5)wereanalyzedforCOX-2andVEGFexpressionbyimmunohistochemistryusingspecificmonoclonalantibodies.Microvesseldensity(MVD)wasalsoexaminedtheusingCD34staining.Results:AsignificantcorrelationwasfoundbetweenCOX-2andVEGFexpression(P<0.01).BothCOX-2andVEGFweresignificantlycorrelatedwithMVD(P<0.05)andP<0.01,respectively).COX-2andVEGFgeneswereoverexpressedintumorspecimensascomparedwithnormalepithelia.Conclusion:COX-2isrelatedtotumorangiogenesisinbreastcancer.ItislikelythatVEGFisoneofthemostimportantmediatorsoftheCOX-2angiogenicpathway.
