Affiliations: [a] Department of Biochemistry, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division, National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt | [b] Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Beni-suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt | [c] Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | [d] Deptartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Menha Swellam, Biochemistry Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division, National Research Center, Tahrir Street, Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt. E-mail: menha_m_swellam@yahoo.com; menha_m_swellam@hotmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and its tissue inhibitor TIMP-1 have been documented as putative tumor markers because of their involvement in cancer invasion and metastasis. OBJECTIVE:The aim of our study was to elucidate the diagnostic efficacy of proteolytic activity markers among traditional tumor markers (CEA and CA15.3) and clinicopathological variables. METHODS:Serum samples were withdrawn from 160 individuals (80 patients with primary breast cancer, 40 patients with benign breast lesions and 40 individuals serve as healthy controls). MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured by ELISA and gelatin zymography. RESULTS:The best cutoff points for MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were depicted by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The positivity rates and the median levels for MMP-9 and TIMP-1 showed significant difference among the three investigated groups (P< 0.0001). MMP-9 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 were inversely related to clinical stage and lymph node involvement (P< 0.0001). TIMP-1 was significantly correlated with hormonal receptor status (ER, and PgR). MMP zymography results were comparable to those from ELISA. The sensitivity and the specificity of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 were superior to traditional tumor markers (CEA and CA15.3) especially for early stages (T1) and low grade breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION:These findings indicate that investigated biomarkers are constructive for early diagnosis of breast cancer and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio might be a new significant marker in predicting breast cancer development.
Keywords: Breast cancer, MMP-9, TIMP-1, zymography, early diagnosis
