[Correlations of serous levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) to invasion and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a common carcinoma in thyroid without ideal hematological biomarkers to indicate its biological feature. This study was to explore the correlation of serous levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) to invasion and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
Serous levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of 74 patients with pathologically confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma were measured by zymography. All patients were treated with modified radical operation in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College from 1999 to 2003.


RESULTS
Serous levels of activated MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastases than in patients without lymph node metastases (71.9+/-11.7 vs. 35.2+/-6.6, P < 0.001; 15.5+/-6.1 vs. 7.3+/-2.3, P < 0.001), and were significantly higher in patients with carcinoma invaded in and through integument than in patients with carcinoma invaded within integument (70.5+/-13.0 vs. 35.4+/-7.9, P < 0.001; 14.7+/-6.1 vs. 8.0+/-4.2, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in serous levels of activated MMP-2 and MMP-9 between patients with carcinoma diameter of > or =1 cm and < 1 cm (55.4+/-20.4 vs. 59.3+/-20.8, 10.8+/-5.7 vs. 13.7+/-6.8). There was also no significant difference in serous levels of total MMP-2 and MMP-9 between every 2 groups mentioned above (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serous levels of activated MMP-2 and MMP-9 relate with invasion and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma, but not relate with tumor size.
Yu
Hua-Zhong
HZ
Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, P. R. China.
Li
Zhang-Ping
ZP
Li
Shang-Gong
SG
Wu
Chao-Ming
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9