This study will seek to determine if the downstream effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)
inhibition suggested by preclinical systems occur in human prostate cancer. To answer this
question, men who have chosen prostatectomy will be randomly assigned to preoperative
treatment with celecoxib or placebo for four weeks. Carefully collected tumor, premalignant,
and benign prostate tissue will then be examined for apoptosis, androgen receptor and
prostaglandin E2 levels. Tumor COX-2 expression will be correlated with observed treatment
effects. The data generated by this study will serve as a foundation for the development of
COX-2 targeted therapies for prostate cancer, will provide preliminary evidence for larger
scale clinical trials aimed at treatment and prevention of prostate cancer, and will validate
current preclinical models used to study COX-2 in prostate cancer.