The cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib attenuates hepatocellular carcinoma growth and c-Met expression in an orthotopic mouse model.

To demonstrate in vivo tumor growth inhibition, the liver cancer cell lines HepG2, BEL7402, and SMMC7721 were independently inoculated into the livers of 45 6-week-old nude mice. After 24 h, mice were randomly divided into celecoxib (intragastric celecoxib suspension, 300 mg/kg), negative control (equal volume intragastric saline), and positive control (intraperitoneal injection of 6 mg/kg doxorubicin) and treated once per day for 3 days. Body weights, tumor diameters, and tumor expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and c-Met were determined at 23 days posttreatments.