Methods for prognosing and preventing metastatic liver disease

A method of identifying a subject having or at risk of developing metastatic liver disease, said method comprising:

• measuring, in a liver cell sample isolated from the subject, expression levels of one or more markers of liver pre-metastatic niche formation selected from the group consisting of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), S100 protein B (S100B), S100 protein A8 (S100A8), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), endothelin (EDN), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF);
• comparing the measured expression levels of the one or more markers of liver pre-metastatic niche formation to expression levels of the one or more markers of liver pre-metastatic niche formation in a control sample;
• and
• identifying the subject as having or at risk of developing liver metastases when said subject has increased expression levels of the one or more markers of liver pre-metastatic niche formation relative to control expression levels of the one or more markers of liver pre-metastatic niche formation.