Prospective-study of stromelysin-3 expression in breast-cancer biopsies and disease-free survival

Stromelysin-3 was estimated by Northern blot analysis in primary breast carcinomas. The patients were followed for an average of 47 months after initial surgery and the dates of recurrent carcinoma and of death, if applicable, were recorded. Stromelysin-3 expression in the primary tumour was found equally in patients with subsequent recurrent disease and in patients who remained disease-free during the study period. There was no correlation between stromelysin-3 levels and disease-free survival.