Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are important in tumor development and progression. MMP expression has been correlated with advanced clinical stage and poor survival in some tumors, but data for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of MMPs and TIMPs in SCLC and to evaluate their importance relative to standard prognostic factors.
Department of Medical Biophysics, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, and Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Hospital/Ontario Cancer Institute, The Toronto Hospital, and the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.