Background: Metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to be related to oncologic outcomes. The main goal of the study was to study the relationship between these proteins and the long-term prognosis of patients undergoing oncologic lung resection surgery.
Methods: This was a substudy of the phase IV randomized control trial (NCT02168751). We analyzed MMP-2, -3, -7, and -9 in blood samples and bronchoalveolar lavage (LBA) and the relationship between MMPs and long postoperative outcomes (survival and disease-free time of oncologic recurrence).
Results: Survival was longer in patients who had lower MMP-2 levels than those with higher MMP-2 in blood samples taken 6 h after surgery (6.8 vs. 5.22 years; p = 0.012) and MMP-3 (6.82 vs. 5.35 years; p = 0.03). In contrast, survival was longer when MMP-3 levels were higher in LBA from oncologic lung patients than those with lower MMP-3 (7.96 vs. 6.02 years; p = 0.005). Recurrence-free time was longer in patients who had lower MMP-3 levels in blood samples versus higher (5.97 vs. 4.23 years; p = 0.034) as well as lower MMP-7 (5.96 vs. 4.5 years; p = 0.041) or lower MMP-9 in LBA samples (6.21 vs. 4.18 years; p = 0.012).
Conclusion: MMPs were monitored during the perioperative period of oncologic lung resection surgery. These biomarkers were associated with mortality and recurrence-free time. The role of the different MMPs analyzed during the study do not have the same prognostic implications after this kind of surgery.
Keywords: liquid biopsy; metalloproteinases; oncologic disease-free time; oncologic lung surgery; survival.
© 2023 The Authors. Thoracic Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.