Detection Of Peripheral MMP-9and NGAL Levels And Its Clinical Significance In Gastric Cancer

Objective: To determine the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase9(MMP-9) andNeutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL) in gastric cancer; to explore thechanges of MMP-9and NGAL in gastric cancer and its clinical significance.Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect theserum level of MMP-9and NGAL in76patients with gastric cancer and50healthycontrols. The association between serum MMP-9and NGAL levels with theclinicopathological features of gastric cancer were evaluated. ROC curves were used toanalyze the influence of MMP-9and NGAL on the diagnostic value.Results:(1) Compared with the normal control group, the serum levels of MMP-9in gastric cancer was significantly higher than that in healthy people（P<0.01）;The serumlevel of MMP-9in gastric cancer was positively correlated with TNM stage, lymph nodemetastasis and serosal invasion, had no significant correlation with age, sex, tumor size,tumor location, degrees of differentiation in gastric cancer and distant metastasis.(2)Compared with the normal control group, the serum levels of NGAL in gastric cancer wassignificantly higher than that in healthy people（P<0.01）;The serum level of NGAL ingastric cancer was positively correlated with TNM stage, distant metastasis, had nosignificant correlation with age, sex, tumor size, tumor location, degrees of differentiationin gastric cancer, lymph node metastasis and serosal invasion.(3) There is no significantpositive correlation between serum MMP-9and NGAL levels in patients with gastriccancer.(4) The areas under the ROC curves performed by MMP-9and NGAL from normalcontrol group and gastric cancer group were0.832and0.942respectively. The sensitivityand specificity of MMP-9≥608.19ng/ml for gastric cancer were64.5%and90.0%. The sensitivity and specificity of NGAL≥14.71ng/ml for gastric cancer were85.5%and90.0%. The sensitivity and specificity of the joint detection were94.7%and82.0%.Conclusion:(1) Serum MMP-9and NGAL levels in gastric cancer patients aresignificantly higher compared with normal controls.MMP-9and NGAL might play animportant role in gastric cancer generation and development.(2) Monitoring of serumMMP-9and NGAL levels might be helpful for diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis forgastric cancer.