Author/Editor		Legan, Mateja
Title		The role of cyclooxygenase-2 in the malignant tissue and possible applicability of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors in the therapy of cancer
Translated title		Vloga ciklooksigenaze-2 v malignem tkivu in možnosti uporabe njenih zaviralcev v zdravljenju raka
Type		članek
Source		Radiol Oncol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 37, št. 3
Publication year		2003
Volume		str. 187-94
Language		eng
Abstract		Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX 2), an inducible prostaglandin (PG) synthase, is elevated in many types of malignant and pre-malignant tissues. This enzyme is localized in neoplastic (epithelial) cells, microvascular endothelial cells, and stromal fibroblasts. Through the released PG it enhances carcinogenesis with increasing angiogenesis, inhibiting apoptosis, activating matrix metalloproteinases, suppressing of cell mediated antitumor immune response and protection against damage by cytotoxic agents. Evidences from in vitro studies, studies on animal models as well as first clinical outcomes suggest that the inhibition of COX 2 may suppress carcinogenesis by affecting a number of pathways: inhibiting angiogenesis, invasiveness of tumors and promoting apoptosis. References forecast that COX 2 inhibitors, mostly COX 2 selective inhibitors, may get a role in the therapy of cancer as an adjuvant therapy or as an co-chemotherapeutic agent. The purpose of the present article is to summarize the most important facts about the role of COX 2 in the malignant tissue and discuss possible ways for potential therapeutic place of COX 2 inhibitors in clinical practice.
Summary		Encim ciklooksigenaza-2 je inducibilna prostaglandinska sintaza. Njeno povečano izražanje so opisali v številnih premalignih in malignih tkivih. Preko povečanega sproščanja prostaglandinov pospešuje karcinogenezo, tako da pospeši tumorsko angiogenezo, zavira apoptozo, aktivira matriksne metaloproteinaze. Zavira tudi celično posredovan antitumorski imunski odgovor in ščiti pred poškodbami s citotoksičnimi učinkovinami. Cikloosigenaza-2 je lokalizirana v neoplastičnih epitelijskih celicah, endotelijskih celicah novonastalega tumorskega žilja, v fibroblastih in vnetnih celicah tumorske strome. Dokazi iz študij in vitro, raziskave na živalskih modelih ter prvi klinični rezultati kažejo, da zaviralci COX-2 lahko upočasnijo karcinogenezo z zaviranjem angiogeneze, zmanjšanjem invazivnosti tumorja in pospeševanje apoptoze tumorskih celic. Rezultati nakazujejo možno in zelo verjetno vlogo zaviralcev COX-2, predvsem selektivnih zaviralcev COX-2, v zdravljenju raka kot dodatna (adjuvantna) terapija, oz. so-kemoterapevtik, tako v primarni preventivi, zdravljenju kot tudi zaščiti pred ponovitvijo bolezni. Namen preglednega članka je predstaviti spoznanja o vlogi ciklooksigenaze-2 v malignem tkivu ter poiskati terapevtsko mesto zaviralcev COX-2 v klinični praksi.
Descriptors		NEOPLASMS CYCLOOXYGENASE INHIBITORS APOPTOSIS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS, NON-STEROIDAL