The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression by immunohistochemistry as supporting marker to cytokeratin 19 mRNA in sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients, and to relate this expression with clinicopathological data (staging including nodal metastases confirmed by CK19 immunoreactivity, histological grading, and age of patients) because of their prognostic value and receptor expression (ER, PR, HER2) in primary tumors because of their predictive significance. The gene discussed is MMP9; the disease is breast carcinoma.