Prognostic value of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 in plasma of patients with gastric cancer

Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in plasma has been reported to be related to disease progression in patients with gastric canc er. However, the prognostic significance of plasma TIMP-1 concentrations ha s not been clarified. Concentrations of TIMP-1 protein were measured by enz yme-linked immuno-sorbent assay in plasma samples of 147 preoperative patie nts who subsequently underwent gastric resection, and prognosis was compare d. The cut-off value of plasma TIMP-1 concentrations was defined as 112.5 n g/ml, referring to the TIMP-1 levels in patients with intramucosal gastric cancer. Twenty-nine out of 147 patients had higher plasma TIMP-1 levels tha n the cut off value. When the patients were divided into those with elevate d values and those with normal TIMP-1, such parameters as age, serosal inva sion, metastases to lymph nodes, peritoneum, and liver, lymphatic invasion, curability, and stage were significantly different between the two. By uni variate analysis of the factors affecting survival, macroscopic type, histo logy, serosal invasion, metastasis to lymph node, peritoneum, and liver, ve ssel invasions, curability, and plasma TIMP-1 were significant. However, mu ltivariate analysis revealed that TIMP-1 was the only significant factor. I n patients with gastric cancer, plasma TIMP-1 seem to be an independent and most powerful prognosticator for the survival. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd. All rights reserved.