OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the prevalence of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in colorectal neoplasiaand to establish the relationship with pathological factors in the prognosisof colorectal cancer.
METHODS: 65 colorectal neoplastic lesions were investigated by immunohistochemistryfor the expression of COX-2, along with the pathological factors in prognosisand staging of lesions.
RESULTS: COX-2 was positively expressed in 27% of tubular adenomas, 40%of villous adenomas, and 70% of carcinomas. A statistically significant differencewas observed among COX-2 expression in adenomas and carcinomas, but such significancewas not seen among the other variables studied.
CONCLUSION: COX-2 expression seems to correlate positively with the progressionof neoplasias, yet with no influence on the pathological patterns of poor prognosis.
