Serum levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 correlated with tumor stage and were the lowest in CRC patients with stage D. Concentrations of proteins tested were also lower in the sera of patients with T4 tumors than in T1 + T2 + T3 group and in CRC subjects with lymphatic nodes involved (N1 + N2 + N3 subgroup) than in patients without nodal metastases (N0). The gene discussed is MMP2; the disease is colorectal carcinoma.