title: Prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in epithelial ovarian cancer and its relation to beta-catenin expression.
abstract: We investigated the expression and prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -7, its relation to beta-catenin expression and clinicopathological factors in epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of MMP-7 was analyzed immunohistochemically in a series of 284 primary epithelial ovarian cancers, their 36 metastases and 8 normal ovaries. In cancers with endometrioid histology, a high percentage area of MMP-7 expression and an intense MMP-7 signal was significantly associated with nuclear positivity of beta-catenin in cancer cells (p = 0.003, chi2 = 8.853 and p = 0.030, chi2 = 4.713, respectively). In all tumors and nonendometrioid subgroup, a low percentage area of MMP-7 positive tumor cells was significantly correlated with a high histological grade of the tumor (p = 0.003 and 0.005, respectively), in all tumors also with advanced stage of the tumor (p = 0.002) and large primary residual tumor (p = 0.005). A 10-year disease-related survival (DRS) was significantly better when the percentage area of MMP-7 expression in cancer cells was high, when compared to low (p = 0.0008). A high percentage area of intense MMP-7 signal in cancer cells predicted a significantly more favorable DRS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.0003 and 0.0052, respectively). In multivariate analysis, a high percentage area of intense MMP-7 signal in tumor cells was an independent prognostic factor, predicting favorable DRS and RFS. The present study showed that intense MMP-7 signal in tumor cells is an independent prognostic factor predicting better survival in epithelial ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Sari M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sillanpää
authors.forename: Maarit A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Kirsi A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Voutilainen
authors.forename: Kirsi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ropponen
authors.forename: Reijo K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sironen
authors.forename: Serpo V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Saarikoski
authors.forename: Veli-Matti
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Kosma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7