OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in gastric carcinoma and their clinicopathological significance.

METHODSExpressions of MMP-2 and IGF-1 were examined by using immunohistochemical SP staining and cross-compared with clinicopathological features of gastric carcinoma.

RESULTSHigh expression of MMP-2 and IGF-1 were observed in 70.4% (307/436) and 49.5% (216/436) of gastric carcinoma tissues respectively, significantly higher than those in non-tumor gastric mucosa (3.3% and 5.4%, respectively; all P < 0.05). The high expression rate of MMP-2 and IGF-1 were significantly associated with the patient age, tumor size, tumor location, Lauren classification, TNM staging, depth of tumor infiltration, presence of vessel invasion, lymph node and distant metastasis (all P < 0.05). In addition, the expression of MMP-2 was positively linked with the expression level of IGF-1 (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that high expression of MMP-2, was significantly associated with poor prognosis of tumor of TNM stage I and II (all P < 0.05), high expression of IGF-1 was significantly correlated with poor prognosis of patients with TNM stage I, II and III tumor (all P < 0.05). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that the high expressions of MMP-2 and IGF-1 could be independent prognostic indices for gastric carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONSHigh expression of MMP-2 and IGF-1 proteins are significantly correlated with the invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma, it is helpful to simultaneously detect the expressions of MMP-2 and IGF-1 proteins in predicting prognosis of patients with gastric carcinoma.