Cyclooxygenase‑2 concentration and prostaglandin E₂ levels in sera and urine of women with breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm and the leading cause of cancer‑related mortality among women worldwide. From arachidonic acid and other fatty acids, the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway generates a variety of prostaglandins. However, there are limited studies available on serum cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels in patients with breast cancer globally, and none on urinary concentrations worldwide, at least to the best of our knowledge. The present study thus investigated the association between serum and urinary COX and PGE₂ levels in women with breast cancer in an aim to assess urine as a potential alternative to serum analysis. The fasting sera and urine COX and PGE₂ concentrations were determined in 29 patients with breast cancer, 29 first‑degree relatives and 30 age‑matched women without breast cancer as the controls. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to the measure sera and urine COX and PGE₂ concentrations. All three groups were statistically similar in terms of age and body mass index. A significant difference in the serum level of COX‑2 was observed among the groups, with the breast cancer group manifesting the highest level (P<0.001). In urine, the COX‑2 levels portrayed an opposite trend to that of the serum levels: The control group displayed notably higher levels (P<0.001). The sera and urine levels of PGE2 among the three groups do not exhibit a statistically significant difference. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that COX‑2 levels are elevated in the early stages of breast cancer, indicating its potential role in disease progression.