OBJECTIVES: To investigate COX-2 expression in carcinoma and stromal cells in patients with urothelial carcinoma of upper urinary tracts (UCUUT) and determine whether expression patterns are associated with clinical characteristics and survival. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry for COX-2 on paraffin-embedded tumors of UCUUT specimens from 79 patients. We evaluated the level of expression in carcinoma cells, presence of stromal cell expression, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. RESULTS: We observed strong and moderate expression of COX-2 in carcinoma cells in 19 (24.1%) and 46 (58.2%) cases, respectively. In 36 (45.6%) cases COX-2 expression was present in stromal cells. The level of COX-2 expression in carcinoma cells was not correlated with pathological stage (P = 0.22) or grade (P = 0.45). COX-2 expression in stromal cells was correlated with high stage (P <0.0001) and high grade (P <0.0001). The patient's survival was reduced if the tumor revealed strong or moderate expression of COX-2 in carcinoma cells (P = 0.03), the presence of COX-2 expression in stromal cells (P <0.0001), and infiltrating inflammatory cells (P = 0.0001), by log-rank test. Prognosis was poor if the tumor was positive for both COX-2 expression in stromal cells and inflammatory cell infiltrate (P <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 expression in stromal cells shows greater correlation with high stage and high grade than COX-2 expression in carcinoma cells. Stromal COX-2 expression may be used as a marker of invasiveness and poor prognosis for patients with UCUUT.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate COX-2 expression in carcinoma and stromal cells in patients with urothelial carcinoma of upper urinary tracts (UCUUT) and determine whether expression patterns are associated with clinical characteristics and survival. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry for COX-2 on paraffin-embedded tumors of UCUUT specimens from 79 patients. We evaluated the level of expression in carcinoma cells, presence of stromal cell expression, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. RESULTS: We observed strong and moderate expression of COX-2 in carcinoma cells in 19 (24.1%) and 46 (58.2%) cases, respectively. In 36 (45.6%) cases COX-2 expression was present in stromal cells. The level of COX-2 expression in carcinoma cells was not correlated with pathological stage (P = 0.22) or grade (P = 0.45). COX-2 expression in stromal cells was correlated with high stage (P <0.0001) and high grade (P <0.0001). The patient's survival was reduced if the tumor revealed strong or moderate expression of COX-2 in carcinoma cells (P = 0.03), the presence of COX-2 expression in stromal cells (P <0.0001), and infiltrating inflammatory cells (P = 0.0001), by log-rank test. Prognosis was poor if the tumor was positive for both COX-2 expression in stromal cells and inflammatory cell infiltrate (P <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS:COX-2 expression in stromal cells shows greater correlation with high stage and high grade than COX-2 expression in carcinoma cells. Stromal COX-2 expression may be used as a marker of invasiveness and poor prognosis for patients with UCUUT.