INTRODUCTION: Approximately 80% of non-melanoma skin neoplasias are basal cell carcinomas (BCC). Although metastasis is rare, BBC carcinomas are locally aggressive tumors. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), mainly MMP-2 and MMP-9, play an important role on the invasion process. On the other hand, tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) have the main function of inhibiting these enzymes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of clinical-pathological variables of BCC patients with the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Methods: Thirty-one BCC cases were selected. Gender, age of the patients and size of the lesions were obtained retrospectively. Histological cuts of the lesions were exposed to immunohistochemistry reaction by use of the streptavidine-biotin peroxidase technique in order to detect antigens. Immunomarking parameters were established and compared with previous data. RESULTS: A significant correlation between age and size of the lesion was observed (R = 0.532; p = 0.008). No significant correlations between other variables and immunohistochemical expression of antigens were observed. CONCLUSION: The expression of MMPs and TIMPs does not seem to be influenced by the parameters investigated in this work. Additional studies should be made to better understand its association with the biological behavior of basal cell carcinomas.
Basal cell carcinoma; Matrix metalloproteinase 2; Matrix metalloproteinase 9; Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 1; Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 2; Immunohistochemistry
