Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 and its changes in patients with gastric carcinoma

Objective To investigate the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in patients with gastric carcinoma and study its clinical value.Methods Serum MMP-9 were detected with Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 60 cases of patients with gastric carcinoma and 30 cases of normal control subject,compared with 36 cases of patients with gastric carcinoma pre-and post-operation.Results The level of serum MMP-9 elevated in all subgroups of patients with gastric carcinoma (60.44 ± 9.75) μg/L was higher than that in the controls (26.79 ± 2.65) μg/L (P ＜ 0.01),serum MMP-9 was not correlated with sex,age and histological grade; serum MMP-9 was correlated with TNM stage,the serum MMP-9 level in stage Ⅳ (72.47 ±4.21) μg/L was higher in comparison with stage Ⅲ (65.73 ±4.36) μg/L (P ＜0.01),in stage Ⅲ (65.73 ±4.36) μg/L it was I higher than that in stage Ⅱ (54.89 ± 3.73) μg/L (P ＜ 0.01),in stage Ⅱ (54.89 ± 3.73) μg/L it was higher than that in stage Ⅰ (48.42 ± 3.89) μg/L (P ＜ 0.05),the serum MMP-9 levels were remarkably decreased in patients with gastric carcinoma after operation (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion MMP-9 may be used as a molecular marker to assess of the disease status of gastric carcinoma. Key words: Matrix metalloproteinase-9;  Gastric carcinoma