Overexpression of MMP-2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a potential indicator for poor prognosis

To investigate the expression and clinical significance of gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

In a retrospective study of 72 consecutive patients with LSCC hospitalized in a single cancer center, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in surgical samples. The results were compared to clinicopathological features and prognosis.

The positive expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in patients with LSCC was 50% (36/72) and 73.6% (53/72), respectively. According to the expression scale, there were 36 patients of -, 26 patients of +, 7 patients of ++, and 3 patients of +++ expression of MMP-2; 19 patients of -, 26 patients of +, 16 patients of ++, and 11 patients of +++ expression of MMP-9. There was no significant relationship found between the expression of MMP-2 or MMP-9 and clinicopathological features of LSCC, such as histological grade, primary site, T stage, N stage, and clinical stage. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate calculated by Kaplan-Meier method in patients with negative and positive expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was 73.68%, 50.94%, 73.68%, and 49.06% in MMP-9 and 72.22%, 41.67%, 72.22%, and 38.89% in MMP-2, respectively. Significant 5-year survival difference was found between patients with negative and positive expression of MMP-2 (log rank = 6.74, P = 0.0094). There was significant lower survival rate in patients with higher positive expression of MMP-2 (log rank = 11.77, P = 0.0028). In glottic laryngeal cancer, positive expression of MMP-2 could predict poor survival and was more likely to present primary recurrence.

The expression of MMP-2 could be used as a potential predictor for poor prognosis in patients with LSCC.