Clinicopathological correlation of keratinocyte growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in human gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is reported to be implicated in the growth of some cancer cells. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is thought to enhance the tumor invasion and metastasis ability. This study was aimed at analyzing the relationship between KGF and MMP-9 expression and patients' clinicopathological characteristics to clarify the clinical significance of the expression of KGF and MMP-9 in gastric cancer.


METHODS
Tissue samples from 161 patients with primary gastric cancer were investigated using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between KGF and/or MMP-9 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed.


RESULTS
KGF expression and MMP-9 expression in gastric cancer tissue were observed in 62 cases (38.5%) and 97 cases (60.2%), respectively. MMP-9 was significantly associated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. The prognosis of MMP-9-positive patients was significantly poorer than that of MMP-9-negative patients (p = 0.009). KGF expression was positively correlated with MMP-9 expression in gastric cancer, and the prognosis of patients with both KGF- and MMP-9-positive tumors was significantly worse than that of patients with negative tumors for either factor (p = 0.045). Expression of MMP-9 was revealed to be an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Coexpression of KGF and MMP-9 in gastric cancer could be a useful prognostic factor, and MMP-9 might also serve as a novel target for both prognostic prediction and therapeutics.
Department of Medical Oncology, GongLi Hospital, Shanghai - China.
Qing
Q
Zhang
Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai - China.
Ping
P
Wang
Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province - China.
Ming
M
Shao
Department of Medical Oncology, GongLi Hospital, Shanghai - China.
Shi-Wen
SW
Chen
Department of Medical Oncology, GongLi Hospital, Shanghai - China.
Zhi-Feng
ZF
Xu
Department of Medical Oncology, GongLi Hospital, Shanghai - China.
Feng
F
Xu
Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai - China.
Zhong-Yin
ZY
Yang
Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai - China.
Bing-Ya
BY
Liu
Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai - China.
Qin-Long
QL
Gu
Shandong University, School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province - China.
Wen-Jian
WJ
Zhang
Department of Medical Oncology, GongLi Hospital, Shanghai - China.
Yong
Y
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 / Q000032:analysis*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C496453:FGF7 protein, human; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9