title: Expression of metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and tissue inhibitors 1 and 2 as predictors of lymph node metastases in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) can decompose extracellular matrix (ECM) components and brake down basement membranes and, thus, promote tumor local invasion and metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 41 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx who underwent surgical treatment. Material was diagnosed by routine procedure and examined by immunohistochemical analysis and dot blot technique. We searched for correlations between expressions of MMPs, such as MMP-2 and MMP-9 and their tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 and treatment outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found cytoplasmic expression of analyzed proteins, both in cancer cells and tumor stroma. The expression of analyzed antigens was higher in patients with lymph node metastases comparing patients without lymph node involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that microenvironment changes are one of key factors in tumor progression. Divergent expression of MMPs and their inhibitors might be used as prognostic factor of oropharyngeal carcinoma progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Clinical Oncology Chair and Clinic of Otolaryngology and Department of Pathophysiology of Hearing and Balance System Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University of Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Pawel K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Burduk
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bodnar
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sawicki
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Szylberg
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wiśniewska
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaźmierczak
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martyńska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marszałek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
keywords: metalloproteinases; metastases; oropharyngeal cancer; tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases; tumor progression