Objective: To evaluate the relation between matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression and the clinical and/or pathological parameters of the epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs). Methods: Forty-two (42) patients with EOCs diagnosed after histopathological examination of the specimens were included in this study. The pathological specimens were additionally stained by immunoperoxidase technique for MMP-2 using a monoclonal antibody against activated MMP 2. The staining intensity of MMP-2 was correlated with the clinical and pathological parameters of the studied cases, including patient's age, surgical stage, histological grade, omental, and lymph node metastasis. Results: The studied cases of EOCs were classified according to the intensity or the degree of MMP-2 expression, as; seven cases (16.7%) negative, eighteen cases (42.8%) weak, seven cases (16.7%) moderate and ten cases (23.8%) intense for MMP-2 staining. There was a significant positive correlation between MMP-2 expression and the histological grades and the surgical stages of the studied EOC (r <1, P<0.05), while, there was no significant relation between MMP-2 expression and the histopathological types of the studied EOCs. MMP-2 expression was significantly high in EOCs with ascites, omental, distant and uterine metastasis, while, there was no significant relation between MMP-2 expressions and lymph node metastasis or bilaterality of the EOCs. Conclusions: MMP-2 expression was associated with advanced, aggressive EOCs and there was direct relation between expression of MMP-2 and degree of invasiveness and metastasis of EOCs.
展开▼
