Journal of Veterinary Research (Mar 2020)

Cyclooxygenase-2 as a biomarker with diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic, and predictive relevance in small animal oncology

  • Szweda Marta,
  • Rychlik Andrzej,
  • Babińska Izabella,
  • Pomianowski Andrzej

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2020-0018
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 64, no. 1
pp. 151 – 160

Abstract

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In canine and feline populations, the number of neoplasm cases continues to increase around the world. Attempts are being made in centres of research to identify new biomarkers that speed up and improve the quality of oncological diagnostics and therapy in human and animal tumour patients. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a promising biomarker with increasing relevance to human oncology, but as yet with less application in veterinary oncology. The expression of COX-2 increases significantly during pathological processes involving inflammation, pain or fever. It is also overexpressed in humans presenting various types of tumours and in selected types of tumours in animals, particularly in dogs. This article discusses the expression of COX-2 in canine and feline tumours, the importance of COX-2 as a biomarker with diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic and predictive relevance in oncology, and the clinical significance of inhibiting COX-2 overexpression in tumours.

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