الفهرس 
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Abstract
Cancer of the breast is one of the most fatal diseases among women in recent days. Despite great efforts made for diagnosis and treatment, it remains the most common female cancer.
The development of metastasis is responsible for over 90% of the cancer related mortality.
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is a proteolytic enzyme able to degrade a major constituent of the tumor microenvironment, type IV collagen. Hence, participate in tumor invasion and metastasis.
Estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) receptors statuses in addition to Her-2 expression are the most commonly used markers to determine the disease outcome. Although presence of these receptors has been associated with a better prognosis, loss of these proteins can occur during tumor progression, with subsequent resistance to hormone therapy.
The present study aims to the correlate MMP-2 expression with ER, PR, Her-2 and other prognostic parameters of BC.
The immunohistochemical expression of MMP-2 is studied in 50 cases of invasive breast carcinoma, and 10 cases of benign breast tumors .
Results: MMP-2 expression was positive in 3 cases of benign neoplastic tumors (30%) and negative in 7 (70%) of cases.
MMP-2 expression was positive in 33 cases (66%) and negative in 17 (34%) of breast cancer cases. There was a statistically significant difference between MMP-2+ cases and MMP-2 negative ones as regards: tumor size, histologic grade, lymph-vascular invasion, LN status, ER and PR statuses, and HER 2 receptor status. While there was no statistically significant difference between MMP-2+ cases and MMP-2 negative ones as regards: age, and histologic type of the tumor.
Conclusions
o MMP-2 expression is associated with an aggressive phenotype of BC characterized by large tumor size, high histologic grade, positive LN metastasis, lymph-vascular invasion, Negative ER, PR and positive HER2 expression.
o MMP-2 expression is associated with a high risk group patients.
o MMP-2 in combination with already well-established markers could help to predict the emergence of metastases.
o MMP-2 could be used as independent poor prognostic marker.