Background: The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in epithelial-myoepithelial salivary gland carcinoma has not been studied previously.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry for MMP-1, -7, -9, -13, Ki-67, and HER-2, as well as HER-2 gene amplification by silver enhanced in situ hybridization was performed in a series of 12 paraffin-embedded histopathologic samples of patients from Canada and Finland.
Results: A positive MMP-13 (p = .0022), higher MMP-13 (p = .0274), and higher MMP-9 (p = .0274) index (multiplication of staining intensity by percentage of the positive cells) predicted better overall survival. In disease-specific analysis, higher MMP-9 index (p = .0327) predicted better survival. A higher volume corrected index (VCI) of Ki-67 (p = .0339) predicted worse disease-specific survival. In 1 patient, HER-2 oncogene amplification was observed.
Conclusion: MMPs and Ki-67 may have prognostic impact in epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma.
2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010.