To test the hypothesis that polymorphisms in the MMP-9 gene [GenBank: AF538844, OMIM: 120361] may influence melanoma progression, we examined seven different polymorphisms in a cohort of 1002 patients with melanoma in order to evaluate germline genetic variants in the MMP-9 gene and their association with progression and known risk factors of melanoma. This evidence concerns the gene MMP9 and melanoma.