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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and aspirin are commonly used medications that are not infrequently associated with severe adverse reactions. The approach to the patient with a reaction to a medication in this class can be challenging. Most reactions can be categorized into one of four different types: aspirin/NSAID-induced asthma and rhinitis in asthmatic patients, aspirin/NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema in patients with chronic urticaria, aspirin/NSAID-induced cross-reacting urticaria in otherwise normal individuals, and single-NSAID-induced reactions in normal subjects. This classification system is useful in planning safe and accurate challenges as well as determining appropriate desensitization protocols. These reactions vary in their pathophysiology, with the role of cyclooxygenase 1, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins remaining dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An encyclopedia entry for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in colorectal cancer is presented. It notes that both preclinical and clinical data indicate that selective COX-2 inhibitors have anti-neoplastic activity and the precise role of COX-2 and the prostaglandins produced by the enzymatic pathway in carcinogenesis remains to be clearly delineated. Treatment with selective COX-2 inhibitors have been clearly shown to inhibit tumor-induced angiogenesis.

An encyclopedia entry for COX-2 is presented. This stands for cyclooxygenase-2 which belongs to the prostaglandin G/H synthase family. It is also known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2. It catalyzes the first step in the formation of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. It may have a role as a major mediator of inflammation.