HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Review

Cox and mesothelioma: an overview

I. Cardillo1,2, E.P. Spugnini1, A. Verdina2, R. Galati2, G. Citro1 and A. Baldi3

1SAFU Department, Center for Experimental Research, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy, 2Laboratory “D”, Dept. for the Development of Therapeutic Programs, Center for Experimental Research, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy and 3Department of Biochemistry, Section of Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

Offprint requests to: Dr. Alfonso Baldi, Department of Biochemistry, Section of Pathology, Second University of Naples, Via L. Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, Italy. e-mail: alfonsobaldi@tiscali.it


Summary. Cyclooxygenases catalyze the rate limiting step in the production of prostanoids. Accumulating data demonstrate that overexpression of these enzymes, and in particular of cyclooxygenases-2, promotes multiple events involved in tumorigenesis; in addition, numerous studies show that inhibition of cyclooxygenases-2 can delay or prevent certain forms of cancer.
Malignant mesothelioma is a lethal pleural, peritoneal and pericardial neoplasia that actually lacks valid therapies and in which cyclooxygenases-2 is recognized as an important adverse prognostic factor. Hence, there is an increasing interest in the development of new treatments based on cyclooxygenases-2 inhibitors, to prolong survival and even potentially cure this neoplasia. Histol Histopathol 20, 1267-1274 (2005)

Key words: COX-2, Mesothelioma, Chemotherapy

DOI: 10.14670/HH-20.1267