The antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of specific COX-2 inhibitors in cancer cells from solid tumours have been investigated (7, 13, 23), as PTGS2 gene is overexpressed in breast carcinoma, melanoma, pancreatic, prostate, colon and lung cancer (11, 13, 16, 18). The gene discussed is PTGS2; the disease is breast carcinoma.