COX-2 expression in bone metastasis of breast cancer patients

Purpose: About on fifth of patients with breast cancer represent metastatic disease in the bones (Oka H et al. 2006). In ductal carcinomain situ, the expression of COX-2 is associated with an aggressive disease (Bolan GP et al. 2004). Evaluating the expression of COX-2, histologic proven bone metastases of breast cancer were investigated immunohistochemically.

Methods: 24 metastases were stained with a polyclonal antibody against COX-2 with semiquantitative evaluation of the staining as used in previous studies (Leo et al. 2006).

Results: About one third (37.5%) of the cases represented COX-2 overexpression.

Conclusions: About one third of the patients with metastatic breast cancer into the bones are possible candidates for targeted therapy using COX-2-inhibitors. But, in analogy to the immune therapy with herceptine, the overexpression of COX-2 should be proven immunohistochemically.