Expression of nm23 protein in human osteosarcoma in relationship with early metastasis. Nm23 protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 39 cases with osteosarcomas and compared with the histologic findings and early metastasis for the purpose of detecting nm23 expression in osteosarcoma and elucidating the clinical significance of its expression. Immunoreactivity of nm23 protein was detected in 48.7% of the total cases. There was no statistical difference between nm23 expression and early metastasis, but there was a trend for cases with nm23 expression to progress to early metastasis within 1 year after operation. The role of nm23 as a tumor metastasis suppressor in osteosarcomas appeared less prominent.