PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - MEGAN E. HERCEG AU - ATHANASIOS C. TSIATIS AU - JENNIFER L. HALPERN AU - GINGER E. HOLT AU - HERBERT S. SCHWARTZ AU - VICKI L. KEEDY AU - JUSTIN M.M. CATES TI - Cyclooxygenase 2 Expression in Soft Tissue Leiomyosarcoma DP - 2009 Aug 01 TA - Anticancer Research PG - 2913--2917 VI - 29 IP - 8 4099 - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/29/8/2913.short 4100 - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/29/8/2913.full SO - Anticancer Res2009 Aug 01; 29 AB - Background: Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) expression is up-regulated and associated with adverse prognosis in select types of carcinoma. Although not extensively studied in skeletal or soft tissue sarcoma, expression of COX2 has been described in a variable number of gynecological and non-gynecological leiomyosarcomas. In this study, the prevalence and prognostic implications of COX2 expression in leiomyosarcoma were evaluated further. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical stains for COX2 were performed on 33 samples of soft tissue leiomyosarcoma and tested for their association with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome. Results: COX2 staining was limited to tumor cells surrounding areas of tumor necrosis in 6 cases. There were no statistically significant correlations with the clinicopathological parameters studied, including local recurrence, distant metastasis, or disease-specific death. Conclusion: The low frequency, restricted distribution and absence of prognostic implications of COX2 expression soft tissue leiomyosarcoma suggest that this enzyme may not be a useful pharmacological target in this clinical setting.