title: Comparison of the prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 in cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: Previously, gelatinases matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 have been shown to be involved in melanoma invasion and progression. Also, overexpression of MMP-2 has been suggested to be linked to hematogenous metastasis in melanoma. This study was conducted to study the prognostic value of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in human melanoma. The expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunoreactive protein was evaluated in 157 cases of primary melanomas. An immunohistochemical analysis using specific monoclonal antibodies for MMP-2 and MMP-9 on paraffin-embedded tissues was performed, and the immunostaining results were compared with the clinical course of melanoma. Overexpression of MMP-2 (>20% of malignant cells positive) was an independent prognostic marker for melanoma related death, with odds ratio of 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.32-5.07). The 10-year disease-specific survival rate was only 51% in patients with overexpression of MMP-2 protein compared with 79% in patients with a primary melanoma with low expression for MMP-2 (P = .001). Interestingly, male patients with a melanoma with overexpression of MMP-2 showed a 10-year disease-specific survival of only 41% compared with 77% in other male patients (P = .003). It is notable that the immunoreactive protein for MMP-9 in primary melanoma was not found to be of any prognostic importance. In the future, MMP-2 could be acknowledged as a new prognostic factor in melanoma. MMP-9, on the other hand, was not associated with the clinical course of melanoma. Based on the current data, MMP-2 could be evaluated as an inclusion factor for adjuvant studies especially in male melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Oulu University Hospital, OYS Oulu, Finland. anne.vaisanen@ppshp.fi
authors.forename: Anne H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Väisänen
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kallioinen
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turpeenniemi-Hujanen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9