Expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C and Its Clinicopathological Significance in Breast Cancer

Objective To explore the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-C(VEGF-C) in breast cancer and its association with clinicopathogical features of breast cancer.Methods Immunohistochemistry(S-P method) was applied to detect the expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C of cancer specimens of 80 cases.Results Among 80 cases,65 cases showed positive expression(81.25%) of COX-2 in cytoplasm,58 cases(72.50%) of VEGF-C and 51 cases(63.75%) of both COX-2 and VEGF-C.The expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C was positively correlated(r=0.538,P0.05).The expression was not associated with age of patient,size of tumor,estrogen receptor or progesterone receptor,but it was correlated with TNM staging of breast cancer.Conclusion Both COX-2 and VEGF-C,expressed at a high level,may be important factors involving occurrence and development of breast cancer.Inhibiting the expression of them may provide a new way to treatment of breast cancer.