Table 2. Association of MMP-9 expression and clinicopathologic findings.

	MMP-9			MMP-9 at invasive front
	Positive	Negative	P	Positive	Negative	P
Variables	(n=26)	(n=29)	value	(n=22)	(n=33)	value
Gender
Male	22	19	0.13	18	23	0.361
Female	4	10		4	10
Age
≦59	7	9	0.562	5	11	0.95
60–64	8	1		7	2
65–69	5	5		4	6
70≦	6	14		6	14
Gross features
Elevated	6	5	0.867	5	6	0.871
Flat	1	1		1	1
Depressed	19	23		16	26
Depth of invasion
EP	1	8	0.004*	0	9	0.001*
LPM	2	4		2	4
MM	7	9		5	11
SM	16	8		15	9
Differentiation grade
SCC (well)	2	8	0.003*	2	8	0.32
SCC (moderately)	12	19		12	19
SCC (poorly)	10	1		6	5
Others	2	1		2	1
Lymphatic permeation
Positive	16	5	0.001*	13	8	0.012*
Negative	10	24		9	25
Venous invasion
Positive	5	3	0.455	5	3	0.244
Negative	21	26		17	30
Infiltrative growth pattern
α	11	17	0.633	8	20	0.298
β	14	11		13	12
γ	1	1		1	1
Nodal metastasis
Positive	9	3	0.049*	8	4	0.047*
Negative	17	26		14	29

^*Significant.