title: Tumor marker potential of serum matrix metalloproteinases in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is suggested to have tumor marker potential in various tumors. MMPs are capable of disintegrating the basement membrane, which is a main characteristic of tumor invasion. They are specifically inactivated by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) are known to be highly invasive tumors with early locoregional metastatic spread.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the tumor marker potential of MMPs in SCCHN, MMP-2, -3, -8, -9, -13 and TIMP-1 serum levels were determined in 73 patients and compared to 74 controls. A correlation with T- and N-status, UICC-staging and grading was performed. Additionally, the influence of inflammation on the MMP serum concentration was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between patients with SCCHN and controls were seen for MMP-3, -8 and -9. A significant correlation was found between MMP-8 concentration and T-status, N-status and UICC-staging. No correlation with the grading of the tumor was observed. Inflammatory diseases did not affect MMP and TIMP levels significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some MMPs are elevated in the serum of patients with SCCHN and especially MMP-8 showed interesting tumor marker potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Marburg, Germany. www.ent-marburg.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuropkat
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plehn
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Herz
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dünne
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Renz
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000097:blood; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9