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Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in proliferative Ki-67-positive breast cancers is associated with poor outcomes

  • Epidemiology
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Abstract

In order to investigate the implications of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in combination with Ki-67 on breast cancer outcomes, the COX-2 and Ki-67 expression levels and other clinicopathologic parameters were investigated in 861 breast cancers. Clinicopathological parameters and survival were investigated in association with the expression levels of both COX-2 and Ki-67 using univariate and multivariate analyses. COX-2 expression was positive in 493 (57.3%) of invasive tumors. COX-2 was associated with favorable markers, but was not related to survival outcome by itself. However, COX-2 in proliferative tumors [COX-2(+)/Ki-67(+)] were significantly associated with unfavorable factors and the worst survival, but COX-2 in non-proliferative tumors [COX-2(+)/Ki-67(−)] showed significantly favorable parameters and better outcomes. COX-2(−)/Ki-67(any) showed intermediate prognosis. The statistical significance was maintained in stage-matched and multivariate analyses. The results of present study suggest that COX-2 expression is a common event in breast cancers and may play in a different ways by the proliferation status of the tumor cells. Further studies should be carried out to verify the role of COX-2 by proliferative conditions of breast tumor cells.

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Acknowledgments

A major part of this study was presented at the 34th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Poster session, December 6-10, 2011, in San Antonio, TX, USA. This work was supported by the Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, and in part by a grant-in-aid from Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceutical Co. and Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co.

Conflicts of interest

The authors have declared no potential conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Korea

    Byeong-Woo Park, Seho Park, Hyung Seok Park, Jun Sang Lee, Hyewon Hwang & Seung Il Kim

  2. Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Byeong-Woo Park

  3. Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Ja Seung Koo & Woo Ick Yang

  4. Department of Surgery, Pochon CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea

    Kyong Sik Lee

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  1. Byeong-Woo Park
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Correspondence to Byeong-Woo Park.

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Byeong-Woo Park and Seho Park have contributed equally to this work.

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Park, BW., Park, S., Park, H.S. et al. Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in proliferative Ki-67-positive breast cancers is associated with poor outcomes. Breast Cancer Res Treat 133, 741–751 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-1971-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-1971-2

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