[Rinsho Byori 50 : 196-201, 2002]

Correlation between Expression of MMP-7 in Gastric Submucosal Invasive Carcinoma
and Lymph Node Micrometastasis

Satoshi IKEDA*1, Hiroshi KIMURA*2 and Toshikatsu SHIBATA, MD*3

To clarify the mechanism of tumor metastasis, lymph nodes micrometastasis and expression of MMP-7, which is related to lymph node metastases, were investigated in 45 submucosal, invasive gastric carcino-mas.
Metastases to lymph nodes were detected in 12 of 45 cases(26.7%) by HE stain. In 13 of 45 cases (28.9%), only micrometastases were detected by immunostaining with anti-cytokeratin antibody.
The incidence of micrometastases was higher in poorly-differentiated carcinoma than well-differentiated carcinoma. Expression of MMP-7 was higher in metastasis positive cases than in negative cases. In poorly-differentiated cases, expression of MMP-7 was associated with micrometastasis.
In conclusion, expression of MMP-7 may play an important role not only in tumor metastasis but in micrometastasis to lymph node especially in poorly-differentiated cases.

*1Department of Pathology, Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital, Tsuchiura 300-0053

【Key Words】micrometastasis, metastasis, MMP-7, cytokeratin