High expression levels of eIF4E and MMP9 proteins were noted in endometrial cancer specimens, which were correlated with FIGO stages, histological grade and degree of lymphatic metastasis.
The data suggest that ARTN and MMP-9 are involved in the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of EC, and play a synergistic role in the development of EC and lymphatic metastasis.
In patients with cancers of the infiltrating type, at stage T3-T4, with vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic, or peritoneal metastasis, the positive expression rates of MMP-9 mRNA, VEGF protein, and CD34 were significantly higher than those for patients with tumors of the expanding type (P < 0.01), at stage T1-T2 (P < 0.01), with nonvessel invasion (P < 0.05), without lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05), and without hepatic (P < 0.001) or peritoneal metastasis (P < 0.001), respectively.
Serum MMP-9 levels were consistent with the expression of MMP-9 protein and MMP-9 mRNA in tissue, a result closely correlated with invasive degree, staging with EUS and lymphatic metastasis in gastric cancer (P<0.05).
Therefore, the present study suggests that the MMP-9C-1562T polymorphism may not be used as a useful marker to predicate susceptibility and lymphatic metastasis in NSCLC.