Background: Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is a highly invasive neoplasm that spreads locally and metastasizes to regional lymph nodes. This process involves multiple proteolytic enzymes including matrilysin (MMP-7) and membrane type I-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP). This study was designed to explore the association between MMP-7 and MT1-MMP in the invasiveness and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods: About 4-microM, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 69 patients with OSCC were immunohistochemically studied using specific antibodies against MMP-7 and MT1-MMP proteins. Immunostaining was semiquantitatively scored, and results were correlated with histologic and clinical variables including clinical behavior and survival.
Results: MMP-7 was observed only in cancer cells, and MT1-MMP in both tumoral tissue and stroma. MMP-7 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.03; RR = 3.2). MT1-MMP showed a significant association with TIMP-2 (in N+ cases) and p53 expression (P = 0.01). MMP-7 and MT1-MMP displayed a survival relevance, and in multivariate analysis they were independent prognostic indicators, particularly in neck node-positive cases.