Resumen de Cox and mesothelioma: an overview

I. Cardillo, E. P. Spugnini, A. Verdina, R. Galati, G. Citro, Alfonso Baldi

• Cyclooxygenases catalyze the rate limiting step in the production of prostanoids. Accumulating data demonstrate that overexpression of these enzymes, and in particular of cyclooxygenases-2, promotes multiple events involved in tumorigenesis; in addition, numerous studies show that inhibition of cyclooxygenases-2 can delay or prevent certain forms of cancer.

  Malignant mesothelioma is a lethal pleural, peritoneal and pericardial neoplasia that actually lacks valid therapies and in which cyclooxygenases-2 is recognized as an important adverse prognostic factor. Hence, there is an increasing interest in the development of new treatments based on cyclooxygenases-2 inhibitors, to prolong survival and even potentially cure this neoplasia.