Abstract:【Abstract】 Objective To evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its relationship with invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods 39 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma from May 2014 to December 2015 in our hospital were selected as observation group. 35 chronic pharyngitis patients at the same period were selected as control group. The expression of MMP-7 at different stages were observed.Results The expression of MMP-7 of observation group was significantly higher than that of control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The positive rate of MMP-7 in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma at stage I and stage II was 526%. The positive rate in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma at stage III and stage IV was 95%. The positive rate of MMP-7 of patients at stage III and stage IV was higher than that at stage I and stage II . The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion The positive expression of MMP-7 is high. The expression rate increases with the depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and the wide range. MMP-7 can be used as an important index of observation and prediction of malignancy in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.