Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Tumor grade (Gleason score) detected in histopathological analysis of biopsy and surgical specimens, and preoperative prostate specific antigen level fail to predict disease-progression after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Previous studies documented high levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) in metastatic prostate cancer. Our aim was to determine prognostic value of MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1 detected histopathologically in radical prostatectomy specimens. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data of 66 patients with RRP were retrospectively reviewed. Formalin-fixed tissue sections were immunostained by a manual method using MMP2, MMP9, and TIMP1 antibodies. Peripheral benign prostatic epithelium contained in the removed specimen was used as a positive control. Immunoreactivity was evaluated in consideration of the diffusiveness, and strength of the staining. Results were compared with clinicopathological characteristics such as patient’s age, preoperative PSA level, TRUS&Gleason score, tumor volume, extracapsular extension, surgical margin, invasion of capsule, seminal vesicle, neural and vascular, and lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: Specimens out of 66 cases stained positively with MMP2 and MMP9, and in 11 cases TIMP1 expression was observed. Expression of MMP2 and TIMP1 did not correlate with any prognostic parameter analyzed in this study. MMP9 did not correlate with any of the parameters. However a nearly statistically significant difference was observed between distribution of MMP9 staining and tumor volume (P=0.052) and also between intensity of MMP9 staining and the presence of lymph node metastasis (P=0.075). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although these data do not show any correlation between expressions of MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1 and clinic-pathologic prognostic factors, further studies in larger series and using image analysis in the evaluation of immunostaining are required to establish prognostic value of these biomarkers after RRP.

Keywords: