The anti-metastatic effects of cationic liposomes (CL) composed of 87 mol% dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), 8 mol% O,O'-ditetradecanoyl-N-(alpha-trimethylammonioacetyl) diethanolamine chloride (2C14ECI) and 5 mol% polyoxyethylene(21) dodecyl ether (C-12(EO)(21)) was investigated for human pancreatic cancer (BxPC-3) cells. The inhibitory effect of CL on the migration of BxPC-3 cells was observed based on a wound scratch assay. CL suppressed pseudopodium formation of BxPC-3 cells. The anti-invasive effect of CL against BxPC-3 cells was observed via a Matrigel invasion assay. The anti invasive effect of CL for BxPC-3 cells was found to occur through the inhibition of MMP2, MMP9, and MMP14. Overall, the results of this study revealed for the first time, the therapeutic effects and anti metastasis activity of CL in xenograft mouse models for peritoneal metastasis of human pancreatic cancer. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.