title: Prognostic value of serum MMP-8, -9 and TIMP-1 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prediction of prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of serum MMP-8, -9, -13, and TIMP-1 in patients with HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-treatment serum samples from 134 patients with HCC were retrospectively analyzed. The serum concentration of MMP-8 was analyzed with immunofluorometric assay (IFMA), and those of MMP-9, MMP-13, and TIMP-1 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Clinical data were retrieved from patient records and survival data obtained from Statistics Finland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall cumulative disease-specific survival was 69% at 1 year, 50% at 2 years, and 33% at 5 years. Kaplan-Meier overall survival analysis showed that patients with low concentrations of serum MMP-8 or TIMP-1 had a statistically significantly better overall survival than patients with high concentrations of serum MMP-8 or TIMP-1 (P=0.013 and P=0.003). Interestingly, the overall survival in patients with high MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio was statistically significantly better than in those patients with low MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio (P=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that serum MMP-8, TIMP-1, and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 might be useful adjuncts as predictors of prognosis in patients with HCC.
authors: Clinic of Surgery, Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki Finland.
authors: Marko
authors: M
authors: Lempinen
authors: Ilaana
authors: I
authors: Lyytinen
authors: Arno
authors: A
authors: Nordin
authors: Taina
authors: T
authors: Tervahartiala
authors: Heikki
authors: H
authors: Mäkisalo
authors: Timo
authors: T
authors: Sorsa
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Isoniemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000097:blood*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C560822:TIMP1 protein, human; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9