Prognostic impact of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-9 and MMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in non-small cell lung cancer

To investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-9 and MMP-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in metastasis and their relationship with survival. Early metastasis is the most common cause of lung cancer death. Angiogenesis and basement membrane damage are necessary for growth and invasion of the tumoral cells. VEGF, involved in angiogenic activity, and MMPs, involved in matrix destruction, are important for metastasis in lung cancer. Materials and methods: Using immunohistochemistry analysis, we evaluated MMP-9, MMP-2, and VEGF expressions in paraffin specimens from 91 patients with histopathologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer and the relationship between MMP-9, MMP-2, and VEGF expressions and the prognosis. Results: For MMP-9 expression, 52 (57.1%) patients were positive and 39 (42.9%) were negative. Patients whose tumors had MMP-9-positive staining had a shorter duration of survival than patients whose tumors had no expression, but it was not statistically significant (14.1 ± 1.7 (median: 12) vs. 16.7 ± 2.2 (median: 15), P > 0.05). For MMP-2 expression, 13 (14.3%) patients were positive and 78 (85.7%) were negative. Patients whose tumors had MMP-2-positive staining had a shorter duration of survival than patients whose tumors had no expression, but it was not statistically significant (12.6 ± 3.6 (median: 8) vs. 16.1 ± 1.5 (median: 14), P > 0.05). For VEGF expression, 34 (37.4%) patients were positive and 57 (62.6%) were negative. There was no significant relationship between the duration of survival for patients whose tumors had VEGF-positive and VEGF-negative staining (15.3 ± 1.7 (median: 18) vs. 15.6 ± 2.1 (median: 13), P > 0.05). Conclusion: Angiogenesis and basement membrane damage are the main components for metastasis, but there was no significant relationship between MMP and VEGF expressions and prognosis. This indicates that the metastasis biology of lung cancer is a complex and multistep pathogenetic mechanism, although a small number of patients were included in our study.