RESUMO
Objective To investigate the relationship between diameter of early gastric cancer as well as lymph node metastasis and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and Matrix metalloproteinases-7(MMP-7)in gastric cancer. Method VEGF and MMP-7 expressions of gastric cancer tissue in 55 cases were examined by immumohistochemical assay. The diagnosis was confirmed by mucous stain and pathology. Results The level of VEGF and MMP-7 expression in group of early gastric cancer with diameter ≤ 10 mm was significantly lower than that of diameter ≥ 10 mm and ≤ 20 mm (P0.05). Conclusion It is significant that relation of the diameter of early gastric cancer with VEGF and MMP-7 expression, the cases of strongly positive over-expression of both VEGF and MMP-7 in tissue of patients with early gastric cancer are accompanied by more likelihood of lymph node metastasis.