title: Immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and VEGF in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
abstract: Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) account for approximately 95% of all oral malignant neoplasms and for about 38% of all malignant head and neck tumors, especially affecting the tongue and lips. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and VEGF in oral SCC according to the occurrence of metastasis. Eighteen cases of tongue SCC without metastases and 17 cases of tongue SCC with metastases were subjected to immunohistochemical methods. High immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and VEGF by neoplastic cells and stroma was observed in tongue SCCs at the invasion front. Metastatic tumors tended to express higher levels of MMP-9 and VEGF than non-metastatic tumors, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Spearman's correlation test showed no significant correlation between VEGF-immunopositive vessels and metastasis (P > 0.05). The present results demonstrate the importance of the expression of MMP-9 and VEGF for the development of SCC of the tongue. However, no significant association was observed between the overexpression of MMP-9 or VEGF and the presence of metastases.
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology Postgraduate Program, Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aguida Cristina G
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Felipe R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: de Matos
authors.forename: Hébel C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Roseana de A
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9