• 9/24/2006
  • Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Alison Palkhivala
  • www.docguide.com

Overexpression of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Ki-67 proteins is a marker of poor outcome in patients with stage I or II glottic cancer and can be used to help tailor therapy, researchers reported here at the 26th International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP).

Involvement of COX-2 in glottic cancer suggests that currently available COX-2 inhibitors may play a role in the treatment of this disease, the researchers said.

Finding molecular markers that predict disease course and/or response to therapy is an important goal in the management of all cancers. The researchers say they looked at cyclooxygenase-2, Ki-67, and p53 expression in glottic cancer to see if they had any prognostic value, said Melanie K. Sackett, MD, pathologist, Centre hospitalier universitaire, L’Hôtel-Dieu de Quebec Hospital, Quebec, Canada.

The researchers performed immunohistochemical analyses on preradiation biopsies taken from 301 patients with stage I or II glottic squamous cell carcinoma who were participating in a clinical trial evaluating the effect of vitamin E on rate of secondary recurrences of head and neck cancers.

“We found a correlation between COX-2 overexpression and increased overall mortality, with a hazard ratio [HR] of 1.68 when we adjusted for age and trial arm,” she said during a poster presentation on September 19th.

Overexpression of Ki-67 was associated with all cause mortality, with an HR of 1.59 and with the development of a secondary primary cancer, with an HR of 2.34. There was no relationship between p53 overexpression and outcomes.

“We have to confirm these results, but COX-2 is an enzyme that can be targeted by [currently available] inhibitors,” Dr. Sackett said. “Eventually patients might receive this medication, if trials prove it’s beneficial. It could be used specifically in patients who have overexpression of COX-2.”

In the meantime, overexpression of COX-2 and Ki-67 can be used as prognostic indices to help tailor therapy, he said.

Source:
Presentation title: Cyclooxygenase-2 and KI-67 Overexpression in Larynx Cancer Are Associated With Increased Risk of Death. Poster 509