MMP9 and cancer: During prostate carcinogenesis, NF-κB promotes cancer cell survival, invasiveness, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemo-resistance by inducing pro-survival genes (e.g., Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL), pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) [160].