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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Modeling Brain Metastasis Via Tail-Vein Injection of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells
Published on: February 4, 2021
Expression of extracellular matrix molecules in brain metastasis
Seiichi Yoshida1, Hideaki Takahashi
1Department of Neurosurgery, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital, Niigata, Japan. brain@niigata-cc.jp
Background And Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to investigate the role of growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases in the brain metastasis.
Methods:
Tumors from 40 patients with brain metastasis (30 lung cancer, 10 breast cancer) were studied to investigate the expression-patterns of EGFR, MT1-MMP, MMP7, and CD44 using the immunostaining and RT -PCR analysis.
Results:
EGFR immunostaining was detected in 92% (23/25) and 70% (7/10) of brain metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma and breast cancer, respectively. MT1-MMP immunostaining was also detected in 80% (20/25) and 50% (5/10) of brain metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma and breast cancer, respectively. EGFR mRNA was detected in 83.3% (25/30) and 70% (7/10) of brain metastasis from lung cancer and breast cancer, respectively. MT1-MMP mRNA was detected in 73.3% (22/30) specimens of brain metastasis from lung cancer, and only 13.3% (4/30) specimens of these patients expressed MMP7 mRNA.
Conclusions:
The high expression of EGFR and MT1-MMP indicates that a extracellular matrix remodeling may be playing an important role in brain metastasis.
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