Indeed, the expression of MMP2 and MMP14, which were up-regulated in lung tumour ECM, is linked to poorer patient outcomes in NSCLC (44, 45), and MMP12, also up-regulated in tumour samples, is associated with faster disease relapse and metastasis in NSCLC patients (46) and the occurrence of bronchioalevolar adenocarcinomas in patients with emphysema (47). Here, MMP12 is linked to neoplasm.