Lymph node micrometastasis and its correlation with MMP-2 expression in gastric carcinoma

Table 1  Correlation between MMP-2 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric carcinoma

Variable	Patients(n)	MMP-2 expression
		Negative (%)	Positive (%)	P value
Gender
Male	17	6 (35.3)	11 (64.7)
Female	13	3 (23.1)	10 (76.9)	P = 0.691
Age
< 50 yr	10	1 (10)	9 (90)
≥ 50 yr	20	8 (40)	12 (60)	P = 0.204
Superficial diameter
< 5 cm	17	7 (41.2)	10 (58.8)
≤ 5 cm	13	7 (15.4)	6 (84.6)	P = 0.229
Tumor location
Upper/Middle third	17	5 (29.4)	12 (70.6)
Lower third	13	4 (30.8)	9 (69.2)	P = 1.000
Histologic type
Intestinal	11	5 (45.5)	6 (54.5)
Diffuse	19	4 (21.1)	15 (78.9)	P = 0.225
Depth of invasion
T1	5	4 (80)	1 (20)
T2	16	4 (25)	12 (75)
T3/T4	9	1 (11.1)	8 (88.9)	P = 0.022
Histologic differentiation
Well	7	4 (57.1)	3 (42.9)
Moderate	6	3 (50)	3 (50)
Poorly	17	2 (11.8)	15 (88.2)	P = 0.043
Lymph node metastasis
Positive	20	3 (15)	17 (85)
Negative	10	6 (60)	4 (40)	P = 0.030
Lymphatic invasion
Positive	18	3 (16.7)	15 (83.3)
Negative	12	6 (50)	6 (50)	P = 0.102