The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern of TIMP-3 protein in invasive breast carcinoma to determine the clinicopathological and prognostic value of its various localizations and their relation to the tumor's phenotype through their association with biological indicators, such as the cell cycle-related proteins p53 and topoisomerase IIα (topoIIα), c-erbB-2 and the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The gene discussed is BCL2; the disease is neoplasm.