Clinical significance of serum MMP-2 and MMP-7 in patients with ovarian cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are frequently expressed in malignant tumors and play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate role of serum MMP-2 and MMP-7 levels in patients with ovarian cancer. Serum levels of MMP-2 and MMP-7 were measured in 28 patients with ovarian carcinoma, 2 with borderline ovarian tumors, 10 with non-malignant gynecological disease and 30 healthy women by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Serum MMP-7 level was significantly (10.24+/-1.35 ng/ml) higher in the patients with ovarian malign tumors than healthy controls (3.29+/-1.64 ng/ml) (P<0.05). Postoperative levels of MMP-7 (7.68+/-1.17 ng/ml) were significantly lower in patients with malign ovarian tumors than those of preoperative level (10.24+/-1.35 ng/ml) (P<0.05). Serum MMP-2 levels were significantly lower in the patients with ovarian malign tumors (227.51+/-9.91 ng/ml) than those in the healthy controls (279.12+/-73 ng/ml) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of MMP-2 and MMP-7 in patients with benign ovarian disease when compared to healthy controls and patients with malignant disease (P>0.05). As a conclusion, MMP-7 can be a useful serum marker to show disease activity in malignant ovarian tumors.

The impact of urinary incontinence on female sexual function.

Although urinary incontinence is not a life-threatening disorder, it has been shown to have detrimental effects on quality of life in terms of psychological, social, and sexual problems. In this study, investigators explored the effects of different types of urinary incontinence on female sexual function with a reliable and validated questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). One hundred fifty-three women with complaints of incontinence were enrolled in the study. An age-matched group of 89 women who had no incontinence or lower urinary tract disorders were enrolled as a control group; all completed the FSFI. Incontinence was classified as urge, stress, and mixed type. Pelvic organ prolapse (POP), if present, was also recorded. FSFI scores were compared between the incontinent and control groups. A multivariate linear regression analysis model was used to explore the effects of patient characteristics on total FSFI domain score. All domain scores of FSFI except lubrication and pain were statistically significant in the incontinence group (for total domain score, P=.005). For FSFI, in terms of types of incontinence, the difference was significant when the group with mixed urinary incontinence was compared with the control group. In multivariate linear regression analysis, age, presence of POP, and mode of delivery were predictors of female sexual function. Mixed urinary incontinence, when compared with other types, had a significant impact on sexual function. When POP was also present, no negative effects were noted in incontinent women.