Abundance of MMP2, MMP3 and TIMP1 was greater in pancreatic and ampullary cancer than any other pathology and immunoreactivity in the malignant epithelial cells in pancreatic and ampullary cancer was greater than in the stromal tissues (in pancreatic cancer: MMP2 100% vs 37%, MMP3 93% vs 15%, TIMP1 93% vs 4%, P < 0.0001). This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and carcinoma of the ampulla of vater.