title: [Correlation between expression of MMP-7 in gastric submucosal invasive carcinoma and lymph node micrometastasis].
abstract: To clarify the mechanism of tumor metastasis, lymph nodes micrometastasis and expression of MMP-7, which is related to lymph node metastases, were investigated in 45 submucosal, invasive gastric carcinomas. Metastases to lymph nodes were detected in 12 of 45 cases(26.7%) by HE stain. In 13 of 45 cases (28.9%), only micrometastases were detected by immunostaining with anti-cytokeratin antibody. The incidence of micrometastases was higher in poorly-differentiated carcinoma than well-differentiated carcinoma. Expression of MMP-7 was higher in metastasis positive cases than in negative cases. In poorly-differentiated cases, expression of MMP-7 was associated with micrometastasis. In conclusion, expression of MMP-7 may play an important role not only in tumor metastasis but in micrometastasis to lymph node especially in poorly-differentiated cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital, Tsuchiura 300-0053.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Toshikatsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibata
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7