Prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase‐7 in epithelial ovarian cancer and its relation to β‐catenin expression

We investigated the expression and prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) ‐7, its relation to β‐catenin expression and clinicopathological factors in epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of MMP‐7 was analyzed immunohistochemically in a series of 284 primary epithelial ovarian cancers, their 36 metastases and 8 normal ovaries. In cancers with endometrioid histology, a high percentage area of MMP‐7 expression and an intense MMP‐7 signal was significantly associated with nuclear positivity of β‐catenin in cancer cells (p = 0.003, χ2 = 8.853 and p = 0.030, χ2 = 4.713, respectively). In all tumors and nonendometrioid subgroup, a low percentage area of MMP‐7 positive tumor cells was significantly correlated with a high histological grade of the tumor (p = 0.003 and 0.005, respectively), in all tumors also with advanced stage of the tumor (p = 0.002) and large primary residual tumor (p = 0.005). A 10‐year disease‐related survival (DRS) was significantly better when the percentage area of MMP‐7 expression in cancer cells was high, when compared to low (p = 0.0008). A high percentage area of intense MMP‐7 signal in cancer cells predicted a significantly more favorable DRS and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) (p = 0.0003 and 0.0052, respectively). In multivariate analysis, a high percentage area of intense MMP‐7 signal in tumor cells was an independent prognostic factor, predicting favorable DRS and RFS. The present study showed that intense MMP‐7 signal in tumor cells is an independent prognostic factor predicting better survival in epithelial ovarian cancer. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.