NF-κB and COX-2 Expression in Nonmalignant Endometrial Lesions and Cancer

Objectives: To examine the immunohistochemical expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) in benign endometrial polyps (EPs), endometrial hyperplasia (EH), endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN), and endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: The immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 and NF-kappa B was performed using an Aperio Scanscope XT automated system in 218 patients with endometrioid EC and 107 patients with nonmalignant endometrial lesions: 53 with benign EPs, 37 with EH, and 17 with EIN. Results: COX-2 and NF-kappa B p50 expression were significantly lower in EC compared with nonmalignant lesions. We observed significant decreased NF-kappa B p65 expression in EC vs EPs (P < .001) and EH (P = .014) as well as in EIN vs EPs (P = .01). For patients with EC, COX-2 correlated positively with NF-kappa B p65 and NF-kappa B p50 (P < .001). Grade 3 tumors had a higher mean expression of NF-kappa B p65 (P = .03). NF-kappa B p50, NF-kappa B p65, and COX-2 expression had no impact on survival. Conclusions: We conclude that COX-2 and NF-kappa B expression are lower in EC compared with nonmalignant endometrial lesions. COX-2 and NF-kappa B expression have no prognostic value in EC.