Matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression is increased in astrocytic glioma and associated with prognosis of patients

Abstract

Objective: Glioma is the most common type of primary central nervous system tumor. This study was aimed at investigating the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in astrocytic glioma samples and its association with clinicopathological characteristics as well as survival of patients. Methods: Astrocytic glioma samples from 272 patients who had not received chemotherapy or radiotherapy were collected, in which matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression was assessed by immunochemistry assays. The association of staining evaluation results with clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed by appropriate statistical analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and survival of patients. Results: Results showed that matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression is increased in astrocytic glioma and associated with tumor progression as its expression increased from Grade II to Grade IV glioma (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with glioma with higher matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression tend to have shorter overall survival time (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression was proved to be an independent prognostic factor for patients with astrocytic glioma (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study confirmed the overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and its association with tumor progression in astrocytic glioma. It also provided the first evidence that matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in glioma was an independent prognostic factor of patients, which might be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target of astrocytic glioma. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.