MMP9 and cancer: Additionally, MMP9 expression in cancer nests was significantly associated with the depth of invasion (p = 0.038), and infiltration of CD68 (p = 0.012), CD163 (p = 0.004), and CD204 (p < 0.001) positive macrophages, whereas in stromal cells it was not correlated with any of the selected clinicopathological parameters and numbers of infiltrating macrophages (Table 1).