title: Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) correlates with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Tumour recurrence and metastasis are pressing issues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who receive surgical treatments. Matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12), previously identified from our animal model, is involved in tumour invasiveness of rat hepatoma. We aimed to investigate the significance and prognostic value of MMP-12 expression in human HCC. MMP-12 mRNA level of 139 pairs of tumour and non-tumour liver tissues of HCC patients after hepatectomy were investigated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. MMP-12 mRNA was significantly elevated in tumour liver tissues of HCC patients compared to non-tumour and normal liver tissues. By comparing paired tumour and non-tumour liver tissues, MMP-12 mRNA was overexpressed in 58% of tumour tissue of HCC patients. Overexpression of MMP-12 mRNA was significantly correlated with presence of venous infiltration (p=0.004), high serum AFP level (p=0.012), early tumour recurrence (p=0.018) and poor overall survival (p=0.02) of HCC patients. Moreover, MMP-12 mRNA was an independent factor in predicting the 1- and 3-year overall survival of HCC patients after hepatectomy. Our data demonstrated that MMP-12 mRNA may be a valuable prognostic marker for both overall survival and tumour recurrence of HCC patients after liver resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Centre for Cancer Research, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kevin Tak-Pan
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Kar-Lok
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Benedict Yan-Yui
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Chung-Mau
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ronnie Tung-Ping
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Sheung-Tat
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Kwan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Man
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C507122:MMP12 protein, human; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12