['Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 is one of the pericellular collagenases to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM), which is involved to the modulation of susceptibility or clinicopathological features of a cancer. The contributions of MMP-14 on the susceptibility or clinicopathological features of certain cancers have been well documented, and the expression of MMP-14 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) also has been observed. This study was designed to examine the association of MMP-14 gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility and clinicopathological development of OSCC.', 'A total of 363 patients with OSCC and 506 healthy control subjects were recruited. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of MMP-14 genes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping and haplotype-base analysis.', 'MMP-14 +7096 TC/CC genotypes might lower the risk of OSCC, and MMP-14 +6767 GA/AA genotypes cause a poor clinical status in OSCC patients. The +6727 C: +6767 G: +7096 T: +8153 G haplotype and diplotype increased the risk for OSCC by 1.706-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.383-2.105) and 2.276-fold (95% CI = 1.531-3.384), respectively, compared with the reference. The diplotype with at least one CGTG exhibited a high risk (adjusted odds ratio, 1.639; 95% CI, 1.005-2.673) for developing a poor clinicopathological diagnosis of OSCC compared with the others/other diplotype.'] Are single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of MMP-14 associated with the risk and pathological development of oral cancer?