Also, 17β‐estradiol and ERβ agonists (DPN) significantly inhibited the expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (u‐PA), tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‐9) and matrix metalloproteinase 2/9 (MMP‐2/9), which in turn inhibited colon cancer cells invasion, migration and metastasis. This evidence concerns the gene MMP9 and malignant colon neoplasm.