MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: The induction/upregulation of various MMPs (e.g. MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7 and/or MMP-9) has been detected in tumourous liver tissues obtained from, e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, whereas the expression of plasminogen activators appears to be largely confined to stromal and inflammatory cells.