Correlation between the immunohistochemical expressions of MMP-1, MMP-7 and VEGF and prognostic factors in colorectal adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the expression of metalloproteinase-1, metalloproteinase-7 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in colorectal adenocarcinoma, and to correlate these with the clinical-pathological prognostic factors.


METHODS
Tumor tissue from 82 patients was fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin blocks. These samples were analyzed by means of the streptavidin-biotin immunohistochemical method, using the tissue microarray technique. Marker positivity was evaluated using categorical scores that determined cutoff percentages of stained tumor cells. Protein tissue expression was correlated with the variables of degree of cell differentiation, staging, disease-free interval, recurrence, survival and specific mortality. The Fisher exact and Kaplan-Meier tests were used to assess associations between the markers and the study variables. The log-rank and Wilcoxon tests were used to assess the significance of differences between curves of disease-free interval and survival.


RESULTS
All tumors were positive for metalloproteinase-1; 50 (61%) were positive and 32 (39%) were negative for metalloproteinase-7; and 60 (74.1%) were positive and 21 (25.9%) were negative for VEGF. Correlation of marker expression, both in groups and individually, did not show statistical significance in relation to the degree of cell differentiation, staging, disease-free interval, survival or specific mortality. Recurrence showed a statistically significant correlation with positive expression of the three markers, when analyzed as a group (p = 0.038).


CONCLUSIONS
The associated expression of metalloproteinase-1, metalloproteinase-7 and VEGF in colorectal adenocarcinoma is related to the incidence of disease recurrence.
Gomes
Edmundo Guilherme de Almeida
EG
School of Medicine, Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil. edmundo-gomes@ig.com.br
Jucá
Mário Jorge
MJ
de Menezes
Hunaldo Lima
HL
Nunes
Benício Luiz Bulhões Barros Paula
BL
Costa
Henrique
H
Lima
Flávio de Oliveira
Fde O
Matos
Delcio
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1