CYCLOOXYGENASE-2 EXPRESSION IS A DETERMINANT OF LOWER DISEASE-FREE SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS AFFECTED BY AMELOBLASTOMA

Abstract

Aims To investigate whether cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is associated with ameloblastoma microvessel density (MVD) and to determine whether this enzyme is associated with clinicopathologic parameters consistent with tumor aggressiveness. Material and methods Sixty-three cases of ameloblastomas arranged in tissue microarray (TMA) were used, which were submitted to immunohistochemical reactions against COX-2 and CD34. The reactions were quantified semiquantitatively and digitally, respectively, and the results obtained were correlated with the clinicopathologic and survival parameters of the affected patients. Results Twenty-eight cases (44.4%) were positive for COX-2, with a mean MVD of 2.2 vessels/mm2. The expression of COX-2 was significantly associated with the presence of recurrences (P Conclusions COX-2 is not associated with CD34-measured MVD of ameloblastoma, but its expression is significantly associated with recurrences and with a lower DFS.