Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and p53 in neighboring invasive and in situ components of breast tumors

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the expression of COX-2 and p53, hormone receptors and HER-2 in the in situ (DCIS) and invasive components of ductal carcinomas (IDC) of the same breast. The expression of COX-2, p53, and hormone receptors was assessed in 87 cases of IDC with contiguous areas of DCIS. Results showed that there was no difference in COX-2 expression comparing the in situ and invasive components of the tumors. In the in situ component, there was a statistically borderline increase in p53 expression in tumors that also expressed COX-2. ER-positive specimens were more common in the group of tumors that expressed COX-2 in the invasive component. From this study we conclude that the expression of COX-2 was similar in the in situ and invasive components of the breast carcinomas. COX-2 positivity was marginally related with the expression of p53 in the in situ components, and with the ER expression in the invasive components.