RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation between the expression levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1(TIMP-1)and drosophila mothers against DDP homolog 4(Smad4)in vocal cord precancerous lesions and postoperative recurrence and malignant transformation.METHODS The clinical and pathological data of 162 patients with vocal cord precancerous lesions admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2018 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The expression of TIMP-1 and Smad4 in the surgically removed precancerous tissues(precancerous lesion group)and adjacent normal mucosal tissues(control group)were detected by immunohistochemical method.The relationship between the positive rate of TIMP-1 and Smad4 and clinicopathological features was analyzed.Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the effect on postoperative recurrence and malignant transformation.RESULTS Compared with the normal mucosa of the control group,the positive rate of TIMP-1 was higher and the positive rate of Smad4 was lower in the precancerous lesion group(P<0.05).The positive rates of TIMP-1 and Smad4 in patients with different lesion ranges,anterior commissure involvement and different degree of epithelial dysplasia were different(P<0.05).Postoperative follow-up lasted from 24 to 60 months,with a median follow-up time of 36 months.During the follow-up,6 patients were lost to follow-up,with a follow-up rate of 96.30%(156/162).During the follow-up,35 patients had postoperative recurrence(21.60%)and 16 patients had postoperative malignant transformation(9.88%).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the postoperative recurrence rate and malignant change rate of TIMP-1 positive patients were higher than those of TIMP-1 negative patients(P<0.05),amd the recurrence rate and malignant change rate of Smad4-negative patients were higher than those of Smad4-positive patients(P<0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that laryngeal reflux,lesion scope>1/2,moderate/severe dysplasia,TIMP-1 positive and Smad4 negative were independent risk factors for recurrence(P<0.05),and age>60 years old,anterior union involved,TIMP-1 positive and Smad4 negative were independent risk factors for malignant transformation(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The patients with high expression of TIMP-1 and low expression of Smad4,positive expression of TIMP-1 and negative expression of Smad4 have higher risk of postoperative recurrence and malignant transformation.