Prognostic values of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 expression in pancreatic cancer

Objective:To investigate the roles of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2(TIMP 2) in tumor invasion and metastasis or as a prognostic factor in patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods:Tissues were obtained from 35 patients with pancreatic cancer and 10 patients without pancreatic disease. Expression of MMP 2 and TIMP 2 was examined by immunohistochemical technique and scored semiquantitatively (score 0 3) in carcinoma cells, and the results were correlated with clinicopathological tumor parameters.Survival analyses were done using the Kaplan Meire method. Results:Expression of MMP 2 and TIMP 2 was significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer than that in normal persons. Expression of MMP 2 and TIMP 2 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and TNM clinical staging sysfem,and did not correlate with histologic classification.Kaplan Meire analysis revealed an association of increasing MMP 2 and TIMP 2 expression with worse prognosis (P 0 001). Conclusion:MMP 2 and TIMP 2 are believed to contribute to the invasive properties of pancreatic cancer,which can be used to evaluate the prognosis of patients and may be helpful in designing treatment protocols.