A number of different MMPs may be important in intestinal tumour formation as human tumours have been shown to express interstitial collagenase (MMP-1), gelatinase A (MMP-2), stromelysin 1 (MMP-3), matrilysin (MMP-7), gelatinase B (MMP-9), and stromelysin 3 (MMP-11) (Newell et al, 1994; Nelson et al, 2000). This evidence concerns the gene MMP9 and intestinal neoplasm.