Altogether these findings, up-regulation of CXCL9 and down-regulation of IL8, MMPs and COL1A1 in the mets cohort, suggest that over-expression of these proteins, while needed for “extra-vasation” and perhaps for “nesting” of the cancer cells after intravasation, may be down-regulated after the tumor has become established in another site, in favor of genes and gene products promoting tumor proliferation. Here, CXCL8 is linked to cancer.