GELATINASE-A MMP-2 SERUM LEVELS AND NEOPLASTIC PROGRESSION IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS/

The metastatic potential of cancer cells has been associated to their ability to elaborate and secrete basement membrane degradative enzymes . In this process a major role appears to be played by a protease know n as gelatinase A (72 kDa type IV collagenase, MMP-2). In an effort to assess the significance of these findings to breast cancer progressio n, we have evaluated the gelatinase A/MMP-2 serum levels in a cohort o f 80 breast cancer patients, 27 subjects affected by benign breast dis ease and 27 healthy controls. Although differences between the three g roups were observed, with the highest values monitored in benign breas t disease, they were not statistically significant. On the contrary, w ithin the breast cancer cohort, the patients presenting clinical evide nce of distant metastases (M+, n=40) had statistically elevated enzyme serum levels (p<0.03) compared to those without nodal involvement and distant metastases (N-M-, n=20). The statistical significance was sti ll evident when considering the overall M- cohort (including N+ and N- patients, n=40) compared to the M+. Although indicating that, in gene ral, gelatinase A/MMP-2 is not a useful serum marker for breast cancer screening and diagnosis, the findings point toward its involvement in the breast cancer metastatic process and suggest a possible value in monitoring the outcome of the disease.