MMP9 and neoplasm: Matrix metalloproteinase-1 reactivity was found to be associated with poor outcome in patients with oesophageal (Murray et al, 1998) and CRC (Murray et al, 1996), whereas MMP-9 immunoreactivity correlated with a markedly poorer outcome in patients with SCC of the head and neck (5-year cause specific survival of 45% in MMP-9-positive tumours vs 92% in MMP-9 negative cases) (Ruokolainen et al, 2004).