Correlation between MMP-2 Expression in Gastric Cancer Cell and TNM Staging and Lymph Node Metastasis.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) expression and various classification systems of gastric cancer in general use and lymph node metastasis. Methods: The expression of MMP-2 was studied by immunohistochemistry for 135 cases of gastric cancer. Results: The index of MMP-2 staining in gastric cancer cells was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and classifications of gastric cancer in current use including WHO, Goseki, Lauren, and Ming (P0.05). On the contrary, no significant correlation was identified between MMP-2 expression and the degree of differentiation, the depth of infiltration, Borrmann's classification, and TNM staging (P0.05) in this study. Among 28 cases of early gastric carcinoma in this group, 9 cases expressed MMP-2 in which 7 patients (77.8%) had lymph node metastasis, eguivalent to 87.5% of the 8 early gastric carcinomas with lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: High expression of MMP-2 is strongly associated with the biological behavior of tumor progression and the status of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. MMP-2 expression may therefore, be used as a parameter to predict the biological behavior of gastric carcinoma and to judge the status concerning lymph node metastasis for early gastric cancer.