Correlation between the expressions of survivin and cyclooxygenase-2 and clinicopathologic factors in epithelial ovarian tumor

Objective To investigate the expressions of survivin and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) in epithelial ovarian tumor and to determine if there is a correlation between these expression levels and clinicopathologic factors. Methods In 20 cases of normal ovarian tissues, 20 cases of benign ovarian epithelial tumors, 24 cases of ovarian borderline epithelial tumors and 86 cases of ovarian epithelial cancers, the expressions of survivin and COX-2 protein were detected with ABC immunohistochemical method. Rusults Survivin and COX-2 were not observed in normal ovarian tissues. The expressions of survivin and COX-2 increased progressively from benign and borderline ovarian epithelial tumors to ovarian epithelial cancers. The expression of survivin had correlation with histological grade and the FIGO stage, but had no relationship with age and the pathological type. The positive rates of COX-2 expression were not associated with age, the pathological type, histological grade and the FIGO stage. There was a relationship between the expressions of survivin and COX-2. Conclusions The overexpression of survivin in ovarian epithelial cancer suggests that survivin may play an important role in the formation and progression of ovarian epithelial cancer. The present study shows that there is a close relationship between the expressions of survivin and COX-2. There may be a common pathway shared by survivin and COX-2 contributing to the inhibition of apoptosis in ovarian epithelial cancer.