title: Serum matrix metalloproteinase 7 levels identifies poor prognosis advanced colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: Metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) plays an important role in tumor growth, invasion and dissemination, and is secreted to the media. Because of the close implication of MMP-7 in cancer biology, we sought to define the prognostic significance of serum levels of MMP-7 in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and explore its possible impact in the daily clinical practice. MMP-7 expression was determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. We assessed serum MMP-7 levels in 87 healthy controls, 96 patients with nonmetastatic CRC and 120 patients with advanced CRC. Clinical information was gathered from patient files. Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess survival. MMP-7 and the variables associated with prognosis were entered and a backward elimination method was employed to adjust the model. Inclusion criteria was p </= 0.05 and exclusion criteria was p >/= 0.10. Advanced CRC patients have a significant higher mean serum MMP-7 levels (13.4 ng/ml) than those in nonmetastatic CRC (5.5 ng/ml; p < 0.001) and healthy controls (4.2 ng/ml; p < 0.001). In metastatic patients, after adjusting for other prognostic variables, MMP-7 (entered as a continuous variable) is associated with decreased survival (HR 1.016, IC 95% 1.002-1.031). Serum MMP-7 levels are significantly elevated in patients with advanced CRC. In conclusion, MMP-7 is an independent prognostic factor for survival in advanced CRC. In our sample, the risk of death associated to MMP-7 increase is much higher than the risk of death associated to lactate dehydrogenase elevation.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Service, Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, CIBERehd. Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. jmaurel@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maurel
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Garcia-Albeniz
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carcereny
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Almendro
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mármol
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maria Augé
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longarón
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Fernandez
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gascón
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7