Abstract
In recent years a dramatic surge has occurred on studies defining to the role of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in causation and prevention of cancer. Prostaglandin (PG) endoperoxidase synthase also commonly referred to as COX is a key enzyme involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGs and other eicosanoids. COX exists as two isoforms, namely COX-1 and COX-2 with distinct tissue distribution and physiological functions. COX-1 is constitutively expressed in many tissues and cell types and is involved in normal cellular physiological functions whereas COX-2 is pro-inflammatory in nature and is inducible by mitogens, cytokines, tumor promoters and growth factors. A large volume of data exists showing that COX-2 is overexpressed in a large number of human cancers and cancer cell lines. The possibility of COX-2 as a candidate player in cancer development and progression evolved from the epidemiological studies which suggest that regular use of aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could significantly decrease the risk of developing cancers in experimental animals and in humans. In our recently published study (Prostate, 42 2000 73–78), we provided the first evidence that COX-2 is overexpressed in human prostate adenocarcinoma. Many other studies verified our initial observation and reported that compared to normal tissue, COX-2 is overexpressed in human prostate cancer. It should be noted that some recent work has suggested that COX-2 is only up-regulated in proliferative inflammatory atrophy of the prostate, but not in prostate carcinoma. In this scenario, COX-2 inhibitors could afford their effects against prostate carcinogenesis by modulating COX-2 activity in other cells in prostate. An exciting corollary to this ongoing work is that selective COX-2 inhibitors may exhibit chemopreventive and even chemotherapeutic effects against prostate carcinogenesis in humans.