TY - JOUR T1 - Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Human Soft-tissue Sarcomas is Related to Epithelial Differentation JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 2669 LP - 2674 VL - 25 IS - 4 AU - PATRIK LASSUS AU - ARI RISTIMÄKI AU - RIIKKA HUUHTANEN AU - ERKKI TUKIAINEN AU - SIRPA ASKO-SELJAVAARA AU - LEIF C. ANDERSSON AU - MARKKU MIETTINEN AU - CARL BLOMQVIST AU - CAJ HAGLUND AU - TOM BÖHLING Y1 - 2005/07/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/25/4/2669.abstract N2 - Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is expressed by several types of epithelial malignancies, i.e., carcinomas, and inhibition of Cox-2 may have a therapeutic role in chemoprevention and treatment of cancer. The role of Cox-2 in non-epithelial malignancies, however, is unclear. Materials and Methods: We investigated, by immuno- histochemistry, the expression of Cox-2 in 103 human soft-tissue sarcomas. Results: All 10 biphasic synovial sarcomas were positive for Cox-2, but positivity was observable only in the epithelial component of these tumours. Excluding sarcomas with epithelial differentation, uniform staining of the tumour was observed in only 2 samples. In addition, positivity for Cox-2 appeared in tumour cells in only 18 samples around necrotic areas. Conclusion: In human soft-tissue sarcomas, Cox-2 expression seems to be associated with epithelial differentation and, in some types of sarcomas, to be expressed in otherwise negative tumours at sites of necrosis. Copyright© 2005 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -