Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 predicts unfavorable outcome in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

This prospective study was performed to assess the impact of matrix metallo proteinase (MMP) 2 expression on the clinical course of patients with opera ble non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Specimens of 193 consecutive patien ts with completely resected NSCLC were examined for MMP-2 expression by imm unohistochemical staining with a polyclonal antibody. Homogeneous immunosta ining of cancer cells was considered positive and heterogeneous, or no stai ning was considered negative concerning overexpression of MMP-2. Four speci mens were excluded from further analyses because of unspecific staining. Th e median follow-up period was 71.5 months (range, 12-120 months). Overexpre ssion of MMP-2 was observed in 64 (33.9%) of 189 patients and did not corre late with clinicopathological parameters. In patients without lymph node in volvement (pN(0) stage) MMP-2 overexpression was an independent prognostic parameter for unfavorable outcome: Log-rank analysis showed a significant a ssociation of MMP-2 overexpression with shortened cancer-related survival ( P = 0.04) and disease-free survival (P = 0.03). Multivariate regression ana lysis confirmed MMP-2 overexpression as predictor of shortened cancer-relat ed survival in NSCLC without lymph node involvement (P = 0.005, relative ri sk, 2.6), The present study revealed that MMP-2 overexpression predicts a p oor prognosis in early-stage NSCLC, Therefore, it might be worth investigat ing the role of MMP inhibitors as adjuvant therapeutic agents in NSCLC.