MMP-7 cleaves plasminogen to angiostatin and type-XVIII collagen to endostatin – events which lead to an inhibition of angiogenesis and possibly to a retardation of tumour growth.[49] It could be speculated that an increase in the substrate activity of MMP-7 possibly accounts for the overall decrease in the expression of this enzyme with an advance in the stage of the tumour. This evidence concerns the gene COL18A1 and neoplasm.