Liver metastatic disease: new concepts and biomarker panels to improve individual outcomes.

ABSTRACT

Liver cancer, one of the leading causes of all cancer related deaths, belongs to the most malignant cancer types. In fact, the secondary hepatic malignancies (liver metastases) are more common than the primary ones. Almost all solid malignancies can metastasise to the liver. It is well justified that the "treat and wait" approach in the overall management of the liver cancer is not up-to-date and so creation of complex individual patient profiles is needed. This review is specifically focused on the liver metastases originating from the colorectum, breast and prostate cancer. Innovative multilevel diagnostics may procure specific panels of validated biomarkers for predisposition, development and progression of metastatic disease. Creation of the patient specific "molecular portrait" is an essential part of the diagnostic strategy. Contextually, analysis of molecular and cellular patterns in blood samples as the minimally invasive diagnostic tool and construction of diagnostic windows based on individual patient profiling is highly recommended for patient cohorts predisposed to and affected by the liver metastatic disease. Summarised information on risk assessment, predictive and prognostic panels for diagnosis and treatments of the liver metastatic disease in colorectal, breast and prostate cancer is provided.