Prognostic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Introduction Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is believed to be an important enzyme in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is still controversial whether COX-2 expression can be regarded as a prognostic factor for HCC patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the clinical and prognostic significance of COX-2 expression in HCC.