title: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is associated with relapse and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is a member of the MMP family, which is overexpressed in some solid tumors and is thought to enhance tumor invasion and metastasis ability. The present study aims to examine MMP-9 expression in human colorectal cancer and to determine its association with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colorectal cancer and adjacent normal tissues from 192 patients were investigated by immunohistochemical assay. Staining evaluation results were analyzed statistically in relation to various clinicopathological characters, disease-free survival, and overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High level of MMP-9 expression was detected in colorectal cancer, significantly more than in normal colorectal epithelial cells. In colorectal cancer, MMP-9 was significantly positively correlated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. However, no correlations between MMP-9 expression and patient age, sex, tumor location or differentiation status were detected. Disease-free and overall survival were significantly poorer for patients with positive MMP-9 staining than for those with MMP-9-negative tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings emphasize the important role of MMP-9 in the invasion and metastasis process in human colorectal cancer. It could also serve as a novel prognostic marker that is independent of, and additive to, the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. chudake@hotmail.com
authors: Dake
authors: D
authors: Chu
authors: Zhengwei
authors: Z
authors: Zhao
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: Yunming
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Jipeng
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Jianyong
authors: J
authors: Zheng
authors: Qingchuan
authors: Q
authors: Zhao
authors: Weizhong
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003106:Colon / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012007:Rectum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9