To investigate the association between cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intervention as well as the inhibitory effect of Meloxicam on the cultured human pterygium fibroblasts (HPF). · METHODS: Expression of COX-2 was measured by immun- ohistochemistry in the cultured HPF from twenty excised pterygium cases. Expression of COX-2 in HPF was measured by Western blot following the treatment of VEGF at different concentrations. In addition, the effect of Meloxicam on proliferation of HPF was studied by adding different concentrations into the cultured HPF plates by Mono-nuclear cell direct cytotoxicity (MTT) reduction assay. · RESULTS: COX-2 expression was present in the cultured HPF. The level of the expression increased following VEGF treatment. The proliferation of the cultured HPF decreased following the addition of different concentrations of Meloxicam (from 75μmol/L to 300μmol/L) and the magnitude of the inhibition was dose-time dependent. · CONCLUSION: COX-2 levels in the cultured HPF were positively associated with VEGF stimulation and Meloxicam was inhibitory to HPF proliferation.