MMP9 and neoplasm: Our data show that CD157 regulates secretion of tumor-specific MMPs, such as MMP2 and MMP7 (in OVCAR-3 cells) which play a major role in early metastasis [44] and MMP9 (in OV-90 cells), which is implicated in matrix invasion [45], is elevated in invasive ovarian cancer specimens as well as ovarian carcinomatous ascites, and correlates with lymph node metastasis [46].