Cyclooxygenase-2 in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (pc) is the most commonly diagnosed adenocarcinoma and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer in men in the Western world. In 1998 alone, it was estimated that about 185,000 new cases (30% of all new cancers in men) were diagnosed and more than 39,000 patients died from PC in the United States.1 Approximately 50% of patients present with or develop incurable, metastatic disease.2 Although most patients with advanced PC initially respond to androgen ablation treatment, relapse to an androgen-independent state occurs after a period of approximately two years, followed by death about six months later.3 Therefore, much research is being directed toward understanding the mechanisms involved in development and progression of PC and developing new strategies for prevention and cure. The present article reviews the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the development and progression of PC.