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Kidney metastases, CT scan
Kidney metastases, CT scan
Liver metastases, CT scan
Liver metastases, CT scan
Lymph node metastases, CT scan
Lymph node metastases, CT scan
Spleen metastasis - CT scan
Spleen metastasis - CT scan

Metastasis

Metastasis is the movement or spreading of cancer cells from one organ or tissue to another. Cancer cells usually spread through the blood or the lymph system .

If a cancer spreads, it is said to have "metastasized."

Alternative Names

Metastatic cancer; Cancer metastases

Information

Whether or not cancer cells spread to other parts of the body depends on many things, including:

  • The type of cancer
  • The stage of the cancer
  • Original location of the cancer

Treatment depends on the type of cancer and where it has spread.

References

Perry MC. Approach to the patient with cancer. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011: chap 182.

Updated: 11/6/2012

David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, David R. Eltz, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang.


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