Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Correlates With Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy

Abstract

Hypertrophic osteoarthrpathy (HO) is a rare paraneoplasic syndrome associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The pathophysiology of HO is unknown but was recently related to enhanced levels of urine prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Here, we report the case of a patient that presented HO in association with a resectable left upper lobe NSCLC. Following surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, HO resolved and did not recur with development of a brain metastasis 1 year later. Interestingly, tumor cyclooxygenase-2, an enzyme responsible the synthesis of PGE2, was expressed in the primary tumor but not in the resected metastasis.