Studies of cervical tissues with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinomas (tested for HPV expression) have shown that the expression of MMP-2 in preinvasive lesions and MMP-1 and MMP-2 in invasive cancer suggests a gradual increase in the potential of cancer invasion [108]. This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.