Expression and Correlation of MMP-2. TIMP-2 in Oral Squamous Cell Cancer

Abstract

Oral Squamous Cell Cancer is the most common malignant tumour in head and neck area being the top of Oral Carcinoma. The malignancy is high, invasion is strong, and metastasis is fast. This report will use the immunohistochemical method to test the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in normal oral mucosa, dysplastic oral mucosa and oral squamous tissue, in order to investigate the correlativity and the effect to the biological behaviour of Oral Squamous Cell Cancer. In the process of invasion and metastasis of carcinoma, imbalance of MMP and TIMP expression plays an important role. Detecting MMP and TIMP the protein expression may be of great significance to estimating the biological behavior of carcinoma and evaluating the prognosis of patients.