Background: Abnormal expression of some CD44 molecules in tumor tissues can induce the degradation of the extracellular matrix, and is closely associated with axillary lymph node metastasis, angiogenesis, cancer progression, and drug resistance. Patients and Methods: We measured and confirmed the expression of CD44st and MMP2 mRNAs and proteins in the cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues of postoperative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with either adenocarcinoma (n = 72) or squamous cell carcinoma (n = 53) using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, gene sequencing, and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: CD44st and MMP2 expression were closely associated with the histopathological classification, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage of the tumors, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The median overall survival (OS) for the high CD44st expression group was 30.52 months (95% confidence interval (Cl) 24.02-36.15); for the low expression group it was 43.23 months (95% Cl 31.81-52.02) (p = 0.020). The median OS for the high MMP-2 expression group was 30.53 months (95% Cl 26.69-33.31); for the low expression group it was 40.06 months (95% Cl 33.55-46.45) (p = 0.022). Conclusion: The rates of CD44st and MMP2 expression were higher in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas, were closely associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage, and affected patients' prognoses. (C) 2017 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg