Objective: To investigate the angiogenic and prognostic role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in gallbladder carcinomas. We assume COX-2 overexpression, neoangiogenesis and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) to be involved in disease progression.
Material and methods: The carcinoma tissues of 56 patients with gallbladder carcinomas were studied immunohistochemically for the expression of COX-2, GLUT-1 and micro-vessel density. The results were correlated with clinico-pathological features and survival/prognosis.
Results: The overexpression of COX-2 in gallbladder carcinomas was significantly associated with increased angiogenesis and GLUT-1 expression. Neither angiogenesis nor the grade of the tumour correlate significantly with poor survival. Age, gender and a strong GLUT-1 expression were significant factors of adverse prognosis.
Conclusions: Next to age and gender of patients, hypoxia of gallbladder tumours is a factor influencing survival. Among hypoxic factors, GLUT-1 expression is an important (significant) denominator of poor prognosis in gallbladder carcinomas, but not COX-2 nor angiogenesis.