title: Increased serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 predict clinical outcome of patients with early B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: METHODS
  Serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) which agree with progression in solid and haematological tumours were correlated to the risk of disease progression in 62 patients with early (Binet stage A) B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Sera were taken at diagnosis and tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MMP-9 levels positively correlated with haemoglobin levels (P = 0.03) and platelet count (P = 0.03). No association was found with main clinico-haematological features representative of tumour mass, such as peripheral blood lymphocytosis, bone marrow histology, Rai substages and beta-2 microglobulin (beta-2m). A cut-off of MMP-9 levels corresponding to 33rd percentile (203 ng/mL) or higher identified earlier upstaging and shorter progression-free survival. MMP-9 was a significant prognostic marker in multivariate analysis and partially independent of Rai substages, which suggests its inclusion into such a staging system to better stratify prognostically Rai stages I and II patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMP-9 serum levels predict disease behaviour and help to refine the prognosis of stage A CLL patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Pugliese-Ciaccio, Catanzaro, Italy. smolica@libero.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molica
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitelli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levato
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannarelli
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuneo
authors.forename: Franceso
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavazzini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Squillace
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirabelli
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Digiesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9