In AW8507-induced tumors, metastasis was observed in 6/6 (100%) mice in the control group and none (0/6) in the MMP10 knockdown group (Fig. 5a–d), suggesting a significant increase in the metastasis of tongue cancer upon overexpression of MMP10 and decrease in metastasis upon depletion of MMP10. Overall, we demonstrate with the orthotopic tongue tumor mouse model that MMP10 regulates tumorigenesis and metastasis of tongue cancer. This evidence concerns the gene MMP10 and tongue cancer.