Increased plasma MMP-2 protein expression in lymph node-positive patients with colorectal cancer

Degradation of the extracellular matrix plays an important part during the invasion of cancer cells into the surrounding tissue. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have a central role in this process as demonstrated in different malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of several MMPs from tumour, adjacent tumour-free colon segment and from plasma, in order to evaluate how these factors might be used as predictors in colorectal malignancy. Seventy-two patients who underwent surgery because of a colorectal carcinoma were included. Biopsies from the tumour, macroscopically tumour-free bowel and plasma samples were analysed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests (ELISAs) quantifying protein expression of several MMPs. We found highly elevated concentrations of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3 and MMP-9 protein expression in tumour tissue compared with tumour-free tissue (p