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Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and 12-lipoxygenase in human breast cancer and their relationship with HER-2/neu and hormonal receptors: Impact on prognosis and therapy Mohammad AM, Abdel HA, Abdel W, Ahmed AM, Wael T, Eiman G Abstract Background: A number of studies have shown over-expression of cox-2 in breast cancer. Also it has been recorded that human breast cancer expresses high level of cox-2 and 12-lipoxygenase which may be beneficial in future therapy plan for those patients. Aims: The present study aims to examine the level of transcripts of cox-2 and 12-lipoxygenase in Egyptian breast cancer patients and to compare between the expressions of both enzymes and TNM staging, hormone receptors status (including estrogen and progesterone) and HER2/neu expression. Materials and Methods: Total cellular RNA was extracted from 64 frozen tissue samples of breast carcinoma and their corresponding normal adjacent tissues. Cox-2 and 12-lipooxygenase expressions were detected using RT-PCR. Hormonal receptors as well as HER2/neu were detected immuno-histochemically for each patient. Results: About 47 and 62.5% of carcinoma samples showed over-expression of cox-2 and 12-lipooxygenase respectively as compared to their corresponding normal tissues. The results revealed that cox-2 significantly associated with TNM staging ( P =0.0047) and hormonal receptors status ( P = 0.0201). The relationship between cox-2 and HER2/neu expression was close to a significant value ( P =0.0747). 12-lipooxygenase showed only significant association with TNM staging ( P =0.0076). Neither hormonal receptors nor HER2/neu showed significant association with this enzyme. Conclusion: Elevated levels of cox-2 and 12-lipoxygenase expression were detected in human breast cancer. Also, the results revealed that cox-2 and 12-lipooxygenase mRNA expressions are associated with TNM staging in human breast cancer. Furthermore, there is an inverse association between cox-2 expression and hormonal receptor status. This observation may drive us to the possible role of those two enzymes in determining the plan of therapy of breast cancer patients. Keywords Breast cancer, cox-2; estrogen receptor, Her-2/neu, lipoxygenase-12, progesterone receptor

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