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[Expression and clinical impact of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-2 in
Rong-ping Guo1, Chong Zhong, Ming Shi
1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Department of Hepatobiliary Tumors, Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. rpguo@gzsums.edu.cn
Objective:
To investigate the expression and clinical impact of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods:
Ninety specimens obtained from HCC patients were examined immunohistochemically using anti-VEGF and anti-MMP-2 monoclonal antibodies.
Results:
The positive rates of VEGF and MMP-2 expression in HCC tissues were 76.7% and 60%, respectively. The expression of MMP-2 in HCC tissues was positively correlated with the expression of VEGF (r(s) = 0.32) and both were positively correlated with recurrence (or metastasis) after hepatectomy (r(s) = 0.31, r(s) = 0.32). 2-year tumor-free survival rates of VEGF- group, VEGF+ group and VEGF++ group were 71.4%, 43.5%, 30.4%, respectively, (P < 0.01), while MMP-2- group 66.7% and MMP-2+ group 32.8% (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that the expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in HCC tissues, tumor microthrombus and pre-operative dissemination to lymph nodes were independent recurrence (or metastasis) risk factors.
Conclusion:
The expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in HCC tissues, and clinicopathological features (tumor microthrombus and pre-operative dissemination to lymph nodes), could be regarded as valuable indicators for prediction of recurrence (or metastasis) risk in HCC patients.
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