title: Matrilsin expression is a useful marker of submucosal invasion and lymph node metastasis in early stage signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Matrilysin (MMP-7) is considered to play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to examine the MMP-7 expression of early-stage undifferentiated gastric carcinoma, and to investigate differences between gastric signet ring cell (SIG) and other undifferentiated carcinomas (non-SIG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining of MMP-7 was performed using specimens from 150 patients with early-stage gastric undifferentiated carcinomas (76 SIG, 74 non-SIG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SIG had a larger proportion of mucosal-confined carcinoma and a lower rate of lymphatic invasion than non-SIG (P < 0.05). The incidence of the positive expression of MMP-7 in submucosal SIG was significantly higher than that of mucosal SIG (P < 0.01). In contrast, MMP-7 expression was frequently found in mucosal non-SIG, suggesting an apparent difference in the invasiveness between mucosal SIG and non-SIG. The larger the size of the mucosal SIG, the more frequently MMP-7 positive expression was demonstrated (P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between MMP-7 positive expression and lymph node metastasis of early SIG (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early SIG revealed less invasiveness than non-SIG in terms of clinicopathologic features and MMP-7 expression. Preoperative estimation of the MMP-7 expression might be useful as a predictor of submucosal invasion and lymph node metastasis in early SIG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery I, Gunma University Faculty of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan. raihara@med.gunna-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryuusuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aihara
authors.forename: Erito
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mochiki
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asao
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7