Abstract:Objective:To explore the correlation between up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) expression and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) angiogenesis. Methods:The expression of COX-2，vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)、basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and angiopoientin-2 (Ang-2) were examined in eighty matched sets of HCC specimens using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Results:In HCC, the expression rate of COX-2，VEGF，bFGF and Ang-2 was 75.0%，62.5%，60.0% and 61.25%, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining scores of VEGF、bFGF and Ang-2 were 5.98±1.16, 4.57±0.26 and 5.87±0.12, respectively in strongly postive group of COX-2; and were 3.30±0.22，2.61±0.16 and 2.63±0.13, respectively in moderately weak postive group of COX-2. The expression rates of VEGF，bFGF and Ang-2 were 100.0%(95/95)，94.29%(33/35) and 97.14%(34/35), respectively in strongly postive group of COX-2; and were 60.0%(15/25)，60.0%(15/25) and 60.0% (15/25), respectively in moderately weak postive group of COX-2. There was significant difference in HCC angiogenesis between the two groups (P<0.01), and COX-2 expression was significantly correlated with VEGF，bFGF and Ang-2(r=0.857，0.706，0.901，respectively and all P<0.01). MVD was 73.18±12.43 and 33.42±7.52 in strongly postive group of COX-2 and moderately weak postive group of COX-2, respectively(P<0.01),and COX-2 was significantly correlated with HCC MVD(r=0.812，P<0.01). Conclusions:Up-regulation of COX-2 expression correlates with tumor angiogenesis in HCC.