Expression of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase in medullary thyroid carcinoma: prognostic implications.
BACKGROUND
Clinical and pathologic examinations cannot always provide a prognosis for patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma. Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) can act directly on carcinogenesis and takes part in 1 of the processes of metalloproteinase 2 activation, an enzyme related to prognostic impairment of patients with such tumor.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients who were submitted to surgery were followed up for an average of 74 months. Postoperative and final medical conditions were characterized for comparison with MT1-MMP immunostainings, performed in surgical paraffin blocks. A value of p < .05 was considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
Proposed index (association of proportion and intensity of immunostaining) and proportion of immunostained cells in primary specimens were correlated with cure or persistence after initial operations (p = .0216 and p = .0098, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
MT1-MMP immunostaining in primary tumor specimens is a new and complementary prognostic predictor in patients with medullary thyroid carcinomas.
Cavalheiro
Beatriz Godoi
BG
Head and Neck Surgery Service, Instituto Brasileiro de Controle do Câncer (IBCC), São Paulo, Brazil. bgcavalheiro@yahoo.com.br
Junqueira
Consuelo Rodrigues
CR
Brandão
Lenine Garcia
LG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1