Combination of Strong MMP-2 and Weak TIMP-2 Immunostainings Is a Significant Prognostic Factor in Endometrial Carcinoma

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 protein immunoreactivities on the prognosis in endometrial carcinoma.

Methods.

Paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 225 primary endometrioid adenocarcinomas and 13 histologies other than endometrioid adenocarcinoma were immunohistochemically stained for MMP-2 and TIMP-2.

Results.

In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 5-year cancer-specific survival rate of the endometrioid adenocarcinoma patients with negative MMP-2 and positive TIMP-2 staining was 100%, whereas only 78% of patients presenting with positive MMP-2 and negative TIMP-2 staining results were alive at that time.

In Cox regression analysis, patients with positive MMP-2 and negative TIMP-2 immunostaining had a 4.7-fold relative risk of death from endometrial carcinoma compared to the group of patients with negative MMP-2 and positive or negative TIMP-2 immunoreaction.

Conclusions.

MMP-2 seems to be the main metalloproteinase determining the prognosis in endometrial carcinoma.

Combination of strong MMP-2 and weak TIMP-2 immunostainings was the most potent prognostic marker for poor survival.