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High COX ‐2 expression is associated with increased angiogenesis, proliferation and tumoural inflammatory infiltrate in canine malignant mammary tumours: a multivariate survival study
Author(s) -
Carvalho M. I.,
Pires I.,
Prada J.,
Raposo T. P.,
Gregório H.,
Lobo L.,
Queiroga F. L.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
veterinary and comparative oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1476-5829
pISSN - 1476-5810
DOI - 10.1111/vco.12206
Subject(s) - cd31 , angiogenesis , immunohistochemistry , medicine , proportional hazards model , pathology , metastasis , malignancy , cd68 , cancer research , mammary gland , cancer , breast cancer
COX ‐2 expression affects mammary tumourigenesis by promoting angiogenesis and cell proliferation, encouraging metastatic spread and tumour‐associated inflammation. Samples of canine mammary tumours ( n = 109) were submitted to immunohistochemistry to detect COX ‐2, CD31 , VEGF , Ki‐67, CD3 and MAC387 expression. Concurrent high expression of COX ‐2/ CD31 , COX ‐2/ VEGF , COX ‐2/Ki‐67, COX ‐2/ CD3 and COX ‐2/ MAC was associated with elevated grade of malignancy, presence of intravascular emboli and presence of lymph node metastasis. Tumours with high COX ‐2 ( P < 0.001) and tumours with concurrent expression of high COX ‐2 and high CD31 ( P = 0.008); high VEGF ( P < 0.001); high Ki‐67 ( P < 0.001); high CD3 + T‐lymphocytes ( P = 0.002) and elevated MAC387 macrophages ( P = 0.024) were associated with shorter overall survival ( OS ) time. Interestingly the groups with high COX ‐2/ CD31 and high COX ‐2/ VEGF retained their significance after multivariate analysis arising as independent predictors of OS . Present data highlight the importance of COX ‐2 in canine mammary tumourigenesis.