Abstract

BACKGROUND
Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of epithelial neoplasms. Currently, detected stromelysin-3 (ST-3) (MMP-11) is thought to be associated with invasiveness in epithelial neoplasms. However, the study of the expression of stromelysin-3 in the uterine cervix is yet to be delineated.
METHODS
Stromelysin-3 expression in cervical invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and in squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) having potentiality to become invasive was studied by immunohistochemical analysis. We examined the correlation between ST-3 expression and the histopathological parameters of the invasive carcinoma, including growth pattern, lymph node involvement, and degrees of differentiation.
RESULTS
The stromelysin expression rates were as follows; 8.3% in low grade SIL (LSIL), 18.9% in High grade SIL (HSIL), and 75.6% in SCC. A statistical difference in the expression difference was exhibited only between invasive SCC and SIL, but not between LSIL and HSIL, even though HSIL showed a higher expression rate than LSIL. No significant association was found in invasive SCC between ST-3 expression and histopathological parameters.
CONCLUSIONS
ST-3 expression is associated with tumor invasiveness in squamous lesions of the uterine cervix and not with histopathological parameters in invasive SCC.

• Keywords: Cervix Neoplasms;Matrix Metalloproteinases;Immunohistochemistry