Many cancers spread to other parts of the body when they break apart and travel through the lymphatic system or blood stream. This is called metastasis.
Some types of cancers are more likely to spread than others. But treatments can help keep cancer from spreading, shrink tumors and ease symptoms.
Cancer cells can spread from the place they started to other parts of the body, where they grow into tumors. These new tumors are called metastases. Most often, cancer cells travel in the bloodstream or lymph system to distant parts of the body. The most common places for metastases are the bones, liver and lungs. Cancer cells can also spread to other organs, such as the brain, heart and skin. When this happens, it is usually too late to cure the original cancer.
Doctors use the terms localized advanced cancer, regionally advanced cancer and metastatic cancer to describe how far a cancer has spread. Cancer is considered advanced when it has spread from the part of the body where it started to other areas, including nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Some advanced cancers, such as some testicular cancers, may be curable even after they have spread.
When cancer spreads to the brain, symptoms can include headaches, dizziness and blurred vision. If it spreads to the lungs, a person might experience shortness of breath or coughing up blood. If a patient has cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, it is usually named by the name of the place where the tumors first formed, such as lung cancer or breast cancer. However, if doctors can’t determine the origin of the tumors, they might call them cancer of unknown primary, or CUP.
If a cancer spreads to the bone, patients might feel pain in the bones or have difficulty moving around. It is important for people who have any of these symptoms to see their doctor. X-rays and CT scans can show whether there are any tumors in the bones or not. In some cases, a doctor might order an MRI or PET scan. These tests use magnets or radioactive dyes to take pictures of the internal parts of the body.
Doctors might also check for other conditions that can cause the same symptoms, such as a spinal cord injury or brain tumor. They may also order a blood test to measure the levels of certain chemicals that are released when the body cells break down. This is done to help find out which treatments will be best for the patient.
If you or someone you know has a metastatic cancer diagnosis, it can be scary. It’s important to talk with your doctor and find out exactly what it means for you. There are a lot of different terms that doctors use to describe this type of cancer, and they can have somewhat different meanings. Some of the most common include advanced cancer, stage 4 cancer, and metastasis.
Metastasis occurs when cancer cells break away from a tumor in one part of the body and travel to distant parts of the body through the blood or lymph system. These cancer cells then grow in other tissues and form new tumors. Sometimes these tumors can cause symptoms that mimic the original cancer. For example, breast cancer that spreads to the lungs may cause coughing and breathlessness. Cancer that spreads to the bone may lead to pain, fractures, and hypercalcemia, which is too much calcium in the blood.
Most types of cancer can spread to many places in the body, but there are some types that are more likely to spread than others. Some cancers, like colon and lung cancer, are more likely to spread to the liver and bones. The most common site of metastasis is the lungs. Other sites include the brain, liver, bones, adrenal glands, and skin. Sometimes doctors can’t find the source of a metastasis and they call it cancer of unknown primary origin (or CUP).
A metastatic cancer diagnosis is generally considered to be advanced, though not all types of advanced cancer are metastatic. Most of the time, when a doctor says that you have advanced cancer, they mean that your cancer can’t be cured and it will grow slowly over a long period of time. However, some cancers can be controlled for a long time after they have spread to other parts of the body.
The treatment for a metastatic cancer depends on the type of cancer that started in your body and where it spread to. Some of the treatments that are available for metastatic cancer are designed to improve quality of life by controlling symptoms rather than curing the cancer.
Cancer cells shed (metastasize) and travel to distant sites in the body, where they can grow into a new tumor. These new tumors can spread in the same way as the original cancer or they can form somewhere else, like the lungs, liver or bones. At MSK, scientists are studying how and why this happens with the goal of developing ways to prevent it.
When cancer has spread to other areas of the body, it’s usually diagnosed in stages. The higher the stage, the more places the cancer has spread to. In general, however, metastatic cancer is treated much the same as the original type of cancer. For example, breast cancer that has spread to the lungs is treated as breast cancer, not lung cancer. This is because the cancer that has spread to the lungs likely started in the breast.
Almost every kind of cancer can spread to other parts of the body, but there are some types of cancer that are more likely to metastasize in certain places than others. This propensity for some tumors to “seed” in specific organs is called organotropism. For example, prostate cancer often spreads to the bones and colon cancer often spreads to the liver.
If a cancer has spread to the lungs, the first signs and symptoms may include coughing, breathlessness or fluid around the lungs. If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, patients may experience bone pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue or changes in bowel habits.
The treatment plan will vary depending on the type of cancer, where it has spread and what treatments were used in the past. The team at MSK will also consider your overall health and well-being when creating a treatment plan.
Once a treatment is chosen, your doctor will monitor your progress through regular appointments and X-rays or other scans. If your cancer doesn’t respond to the treatment or it grows, your doctor will talk with you about other options. For example, if your cancer has spread to the bones and is causing pain, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair a broken bone or other procedures such as radiation therapy or gamma knife surgery.
Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States, but it is also one of the most preventable diseases. Many of the factors that increase the risk of developing cancer can be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle. In addition, it is important to receive recommended screening tests to detect cancers at an early stage when they are easier to treat.
Most cancers spread when tumor cells break away from the original tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of organs, tissues and vessels that carry fluids around the body. Cancer cells that travel through the lymphatic system can settle and grow in distant parts of the body, forming new tumors. This process is called metastasis.
Metastases most commonly develop in the lungs, liver and bones. However, any tissue in the body can be affected. Some cancers spread to other organs because of a special property of the cancer cell. For example, breast cancer cells are more likely to spread to the lungs than to other organs because they tend to adhere to lymph vessels.
Some cancers spread because of a genetic change that occurs in the cancer cell. This genetic change is usually caused by the presence of certain viruses or bacteria that infect the body. Infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori are associated with an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer.
Scientists have been studying the ways that cancer spreads for decades. They have found that some cancers are more likely to spread to nearby lymph nodes, which is called regional metastasis. Others, such as melanoma and lung cancer, are more likely to spread to the brain, which is called distant metastasis.
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered a way to smother dormant cancer cells in their sleep and prevent them from waking up and forming deadly tumors. The study, published today in the journal Nature Cell Biology, turns on its head the long-held belief that dormant disseminated cancer cells cannot be killed by chemotherapy because they are in a “sleeper” state and have stopped growing.
Cancer cells can grow and spread from their original location in the body to other parts. This is called metastasis.
Cancer that has spread to the bones, brain or liver can cause symptoms like pain, fatigue and a loss of appetite.
Cancer that spreads to the lungs can cause fluid to build up between the lungs (pleural effusion) or around the belly (malignant ascites). This may cause coughing and breathlessness.
Cancer and its treatment can cause many side effects, including loss of appetite. This can happen early in the diagnosis and may persist throughout the treatment. It’s important to talk to your health care team about it if you are experiencing this symptom so they can find ways to help you eat better and get the nutrients you need.
Loss of appetite can be caused by changes in metabolism, nausea and mouth sores, pain, fatigue and a change in how food tastes. It can also be caused by medications, including chemotherapy, immunotherapies and radiation. In some cases, the tumor itself can affect appetite by pushing on organs, such as the spleen or liver. In other cases, cancer can produce hormones that interfere with normal hunger signals, and can make you feel full even when you’re not.
Cancer that has spread to the lungs can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and fluid around the lungs (malignant pleural effusion). It can also cause cancer that has spread to the brain can cause headache, dizziness, weakness and changes in vision and balance.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often comes before vomiting (the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying (“throwing up”) of your stomach contents through your mouth). The nausea and the urge to vomit may be triggered by irritation or inflammation of your stomach or intestines, a blockage of your throat or airway, certain medications (like antacids), foods, odors, and motion sickness. Nausea is also a common side effect of many cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy.
According to MedlinePlus, if the nausea is accompanied by other symptoms like fever, blood in your vomit, severe abdominal pain or confusion, you should see a doctor immediately. Your doctor will take a medical history, do a physical exam and order some tests to check your condition and determine the cause of your nausea.
You can help to control nausea associated with your cancer treatment by eating bland meals such as rice, crackers, toast and applesauce, avoiding cold drinks or those that are greasy or heavy in food. You can also try to eat foods that are room temperature instead of hot or warm. For some, acupuncture and ginger may also be helpful. Try stimulating the acupressure point P6 with your middle and index finger, pressed in the groove between two large tendons on the inside of your wrist, three finger widths below the base of your thumb. Or you can use a wristband that stimulates the same pressure points, such as Sea-Band.
Cancer cells sometimes break apart and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Often, the new growths don’t cause any symptoms. But some do. These symptoms depend on where the tumors have spread and what type of cancer it is.
When cancer spreads to the bones, it can cause pain and increase your risk of breaking a bone. It can also lead to a build-up of fluid between the layers that cover the lung (pleural effusion), which causes a cough and breathlessness. Cancer that spreads to the liver may cause jaundice and swelling in the abdomen. If cancer spreads to the brain, it can cause headache or changes in vision, speech and balance.
If you develop coordination problems, your doctor may do a physical exam and ask questions about your past health (family history). Then he or she will order a blood test to see how much calcium is in your body and an MRI or PET scan.
Coordination disorders may be caused by other health problems, such as a thyroid disorder (hypothyroidism), vitamin E deficiency or multiple sclerosis. But you should tell your doctor about your symptoms, so he or she can check whether your cancer is spreading to other parts of the body. If it is, you might need treatment to slow the cancer’s progression or ease your symptoms. These treatments might include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hormonal therapy.
When cancer cells break away from the original tumor and spread to other parts of the body, it’s called metastasis. It’s common for cancer to meetastasize to the bones, lungs, liver and brain. The new cancer growths may cause symptoms that depend on where the cancer has spread.
If cancer spreads to the lungs, it may cause pain, coughing and shortness of breath. If cancer spreads to the liver, it may cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes). Cancer that has spread to the brain can cause confusion, memory loss, problems thinking or acting normally and changes in mood.
The first signs of metastatic cancer are often vague and may be similar to other health conditions. The doctor may order blood and urine tests to find out if cancer has spread. They also may use imaging tests to get pictures of the inside of the body.
Some people with metastatic cancer live for many years with well controlled disease. Treatment can help ease symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and nausea. This is called palliative care. Ask your doctor about support groups for people with advanced cancer. It’s important to talk with other people who have the same symptoms as you. These conversations can help you feel less alone and cope better with your situation. You can find support groups at hospitals and cancer centers or by talking with family and friends.
Pain is a distress signal that warns us of an injury or illness. It can be sharp and short-lived, or it can continue to linger and develop into chronic pain. It is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care in the United States. Pain can be a debilitating symptom that negatively impacts quality of life and can cause emotional problems.
Pain can be felt in any part of the body, but cancer cells that have spread to the bone are more likely to cause pain. This type of pain is called skeletal metastasis and can be caused by breast or prostate cancer. The most common sites for bone metastasis are the spine, pelvis and thigh bones. Bone metastasis can also cause other symptoms such as back pain, a tingling sensation in the extremities or a change in bowel habits.
Cancer that has spread to the lungs can cause a cough (productive or nonproductive), chest pain and shortness of breath. If the tumor presses on the spinal cord, it can cause dizziness or weakness. Cancer that has spread to the liver can cause abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
While most metastatic cancers are not curable, treatments can help reduce the severity of symptoms and extend the time a person feels healthy. It is important to discuss any new or unusual symptom with your healthcare provider, especially if it has been present for more than a few days.
Fatigue is a general feeling of tiredness and can be worse during cancer treatment. It is different from normal tiredness in that it is not relieved by rest or sleep and can continue to affect you months or even years after your cancer treatment has finished.
It is not known exactly what causes fatigue in people with cancer. But cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and bone marrow transplantation may cause it. They can also increase the need for energy, weaken muscles, change hormone levels and cause changes in the way your body uses food for energy. Other health problems and medicines you take may also contribute to your fatigue.
If you are experiencing cancer-related fatigue, discuss it with your doctor at each visit. The doctor can give you advice for coping or suggest ways to treat the problem.
Keep a record of your fatigue, including when it is worst and what seems to help or make it better. You can share this with your doctors and nurses. Try to stay physically active and drink plenty of fluids. Relaxation techniques such as qigong, tai chi and yoga can improve energy levels. Talk to your doctor about these and other mind and body exercises that can ease fatigue.
Metastases most commonly develop when cancer cells break off from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system, which carry fluids around the body. Local therapy such as surgery or radiation, and systemic approaches including chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy are the mainstays of metastatic disease management.
These treatments can help control symptoms such as pain, weakness or fatigue, and keep the cancer from spreading. But, sometimes the cancer outsmarts the drugs.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. It can be used alone or with other treatments, such as radiation therapy and immunotherapy. It can also be used to ease symptoms and improve quality of life.
It may be given in a vein (intravenous, or IV) or by mouth. It may be given over a few days, weeks or months, and it may need to be repeated in cycles. You may need to have a break between chemotherapy sessions to let your body recover.
Your doctor will check your blood count before starting treatment, to make sure the number of red and white blood cells and platelets is enough. They will also check your liver function, as chemotherapy can damage the liver. If the tests show that your liver isn’t working well, they may need to postpone your treatment until it has recovered.
You might get chemotherapy to shrink a tumor before surgery, which is called preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. You might also get it to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. Chemotherapy can also be put directly into a tumour, through a tube (catheter) or into a port inserted under the skin. One form of this is called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).
You might need palliative treatment if the cancer hasn’t responded to other treatments or stopped growing. This might include medicines to ease side effects, such as pain or nausea. It might be given for months or years, and you will have regular appointments with your doctor to see how you are doing. You might also need other types of treatment, such as hormone therapy or radiation.
Targeted therapy uses drugs to interfere with specific molecules found on cancer cells or in the genes that create them. These treatments can shrink tumors or slow down their growth. They can also prevent the spread of cancer or stop it from returning after treatment stops. Targeted therapies are usually less toxic than chemotherapy. However, they can cause side effects of their own that may be different from those of chemotherapy.
Targeted therapies can be given in pill form or by injection (IV). They can be used alone or with other types of treatment. They can be used for several months or years.
The type of targeted therapy your doctor prescribes will depend on what part of the body where the cancer is located and its mutations. They may use blood tests or a sample of tissue (biopsy) to check for gene abnormalities. They will also use imaging tests like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or PET scan to find out where the cancer is in your body and whether it has spread.
Some targeted therapies are designed for specific cancers, such as breast or lung cancer. Others, known as “tumor-agnostic” treatments, are intended to treat the genetic changes that help cancer grow no matter where it started in your body.
Other targeted therapy medicines are small molecule drugs that can easily enter the cells and interfere with the molecules inside them. These include angiogenesis inhibitors that starve a tumour by blocking the formation of new blood vessels needed to bring it nutrients and hormone therapies that decrease the amount of certain hormones, such as estrogen, in your body to slow or stop cancer growth.
Some targeted therapy medicines can cause side effects that affect your lungs or digestive system. These include itchy eyes and skin, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, rashes or other skin problems, tiredness and headaches. They can also affect the way your heart, liver and lungs work.
Immunotherapy uses the body’s natural ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. It can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy. Some of these treatments are designed to prevent cancer cells from escaping to other parts of the body where they could grow. Other immunotherapies are designed to boost the immune system, and still others treat metastatic cancer by targeting specific genetic mutations that are found in some cancers.
Some cancer cells can hide from the immune system by changing their shape or hiding chemical markers that the immune system looks for. Other cancer cells can escape detection because they look a lot like healthy cells. Immunotherapies help the immune system “remember” what cancer cells look like so that it can find them and kill them when they return to the body.
A common type of immunotherapy involves using drugs to increase the activity of a protein in the immune system that is normally turned off, called interferon. Other types of immunotherapies use monoclonal antibodies that are made in a laboratory to target and attach to antigens (molecules) on cancer cells, which causes the cells to self-destruct or be destroyed by the immune system.
Other forms of immunotherapy include tumor vaccines and cellular immunotherapy. In cellular immunotherapy, white blood cells are removed from the patient’s body and then modified in a lab to make them more likely to attack cancer cells. These cells are then returned to the body in large numbers to help fight cancer. Some of these cells may survive after treatment and continue to kill any remaining cancer cells. This is a new field of research and many of these therapies are only available through clinical trials.
Some people use complementary therapies alongside conventional cancer treatments to improve their quality of life and help manage side effects. These practices include acupuncture, yoga, massage, meditation and other mind-body interventions. They are sometimes also called alternative or integrative medicine. All of these can be useful for reducing pain, anxiety and fatigue associated with cancer treatment. They are most effective when they are used as part of a combination with a treatment plan from your doctor.
Generally, complementary therapies are not considered to be a replacement for your cancer treatment. However, some complementary therapy approaches can interfere with or worsen your condition. For this reason, it is important to let your medical team know about any complementary therapies you are considering.
If your health care provider recommends a particular complementary therapy, ask your practitioner if they are registered with an organisation such as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). This ensures that the therapist is working to professional standards. You can also ask your therapist about any potential interactions with medications you are taking.
Some of the more common complementary therapies include relaxation, talking therapy, music therapy, visualisation and acupuncture. Some of these practices have been shown to reduce symptoms such as pain and fatigue, particularly in people with metastatic disease. For example, a cognitive behavioural group intervention reduced external health locus of control and fatigue in people receiving radiotherapy [13]. Herbal skin gels such as belladona have been found to protect the skin from damage from radiation and improve skin healing after radiation [14]. Other herbal medicines such as ginger have been shown to improve quality of life and reduce symptoms in people with gastrointestinal tract cancer.
Cancer can spread (metastasize) from its point of origin (primary tumor site) to distant areas of the body through the bloodstream or lymph system. Once there, cancer cells can grow and form new tumors in a different part of the body, called a metastatic tumor.
For example, if breast cancer spreads to bones, it’s considered metastatic bone cancer. Often, metastatic cancers develop because the primary tumor fails to completely eradicate cancer cells or because some of the cancer cells survived and grew.
Surgical procedures are used in the treatment of some metastatic diseases, including metastatic cancer. These procedures are usually done on an inpatient basis and may include the removal of a primary tumor, surgical resection or surgical removal of metastases.
Surgery as a treatment for metastatic cancer is less common than it is for early stage cancers, but some patients can benefit from this type of therapy. If your doctor recommends surgery, ask about the length of your stay and whether you will need to go to a hospital or surgical center. Also, be sure to talk to your insurance company about coverage percentages for these services.
Prior to surgery, your healthcare team will give you a preop check-up that includes tests like blood work, a chest X-ray or electrocardiogram and imaging, such as an MRI or CT scan. This will help your doctor determine if you are healthy enough for surgery and treat any health problems that could affect your recovery or cause complications during or after the procedure.
Depending on the surgery, you may need to stay in the hospital or surgical center for one to several days or longer. Often, you will need a nurse or home healthcare aide to visit your home and take care of tasks like bathing and dressing.
Cancer cells can spread in a few different ways. They may grow into the tissue around them, or they might travel through the blood stream or lymph node system to other parts of the body. Most often, cancer cells meetastasize in the lungs or liver, but they can also spread to the brain, bones, adrenal glands, and skin. If a cancer has metastasized, it is called Stage IV cancer.
Cells that grow into tumors usually start out as normal cells in a healthy part of the body, such as the breasts or colon. Over time, these cells start growing and dividing, becoming more and more cancerous. Eventually, these cancerous cells start to break away from the original tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
Once they reach a new site, the cancerous cells may either grow directly into the nearby tissues or they might continue traveling through the bloodstream or lymphatic system until they reach a place where conditions are favorable for them to grow and form more tumors. If the cancerous cells grow into tissue or organs that are close to where they started, it is called regional metastasis. If they grow into a site that is far from the original tumor, it is called distant metastasis.
It is not known exactly why some cancers grow faster or more aggressively than others. However, researchers do know that the conditions in which a tumor grows and spreads are very complex. For example, the growth of a cancerous cell depends on many different molecules. Cancerous cells also need a supportive environment in which to grow, such as a small amount of nutrients and a low oxygen level.
Nearly all types of cancer can spread to the lungs, but certain kinds of cancer are more likely to metastasize there than others. For example, breast cancer usually spreads to the lungs through the lymphatic system, while lung cancer typically spreads through the bloodstream. Cancer that spreads to the lungs is called metastatic lung cancer or malignant pleural effusion.
Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body when they grow too big and push against surrounding tissue or invade nearby healthy cells. The spread is called metastasis. Once cancer has metastasized, it is not curable but many people with well-controlled metastatic disease live for years. Almost every type of cancer has the potential to spread, but the most common types of metastatic cancer are colon, breast and lung cancers.
When the cancer spreads, it forms tumors in tissues and organs that are close by. The most common places that cancer spreads to are the lungs, liver and bones. Cancer can also spread to lymph nodes and skin.
Usually, the cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to reach other parts of the body. They then attach to and take over the tissue in these areas, such as the liver or the lungs. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body when it reaches a weak spot, such as a bone.
Once the cancer cells have spread, they may not cause any symptoms. However, they can still cause problems if they get too close to the nerves, blood vessels or tendons. Sometimes, the cancer can cause a condition called hypercalcemia, which is when there is too much calcium in the bloodstream.
When cancer spreads to a new area, it is treated based on the type of cancer that started in the original area. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the liver, it is treated as liver cancer. Sometimes, doctors can’t tell where a cancer originally started. This is called cancer of unknown primary origin or CUP.
Most people with metastatic cancer cannot be cured, but the right treatments can reduce symptoms and help people feel better for longer. In addition to medication, treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and gamma knife surgery. Talk to your health care provider about the best treatments for you. They will be able to give you more information about your specific situation, including where the cancer has spread and how far it has gone.
Once a tumor starts spreading, the cancer cells can enter your bloodstream or lymph system and travel to different parts of your body. When this happens, the tumor is no longer considered localized cancer and is now known as metastatic disease. Some types of cancer are more likely to spread than others. But all cancers have the potential to metastasize.
Once the cancer cells reach another part of your body, they can start growing and forming tumors in nearby tissues or organs. Depending on where the cancer spreads, it may also cause fluid to build up in places like the lungs (called malignant pleural effusion) or the abdomen (called malignant ascites). The new tumors are called metastases.
Most of the time, these cancer cells don’t grow right away. But they can stay inactive for years. When they do grow, they usually form a mass or lump of cancer cells that can be felt by your doctor. Most types of cancer that have spread to other parts of the body are diagnosed at this stage.
Cancer cells can spread to almost any part of the body, but they often metastasize to the liver, lungs, and bones. The most common type of metastatic cancer is breast cancer that spreads to the bones.
Many people with metastatic cancer cannot be cured completely. But treatments can help control the cancer and improve a person’s quality of life. Treatments may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and drug therapies.
The type of treatment you receive will depend on the type and location of your primary cancer, where it has spread to, your general health, and the treatment you received in the past. During treatment, your health care team will use tests to check the status of your cancer.
If the cancer spreads to your lungs, your health care team will evaluate you for symptoms and signs of lung metastases, which can include coughing up blood, chest pain, breathing problems, or fluid around the lungs. They can treat lung metastases with medicines, radiation therapy, or surgery. They can also help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life with palliative care.
Metastasis occurs when cancer cells break off from the original tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymph vessels to establish new tumors in distant parts of the body. Scientists at MSK are studying how and why this happens, with the ultimate goal of finding ways to prevent it.
The symptoms of metastatic cancer vary depending on the site where the new tumors form. For example, if the cancer spreads to the bones, the most common symptoms include bone pain and difficulty moving. If the cancer spreads to the lungs, symptoms include breathing problems, coughing, or fluid around the lungs. Some people don’t have any symptoms at all.
In order to metastasize, cancer cells must survive and proliferate in a foreign tissue, while avoiding the host’s immune system. This is a complex process that involves a series of steps, called the metastatic cascade, and requires the ability to subvert the host’s normal biological processes. To successfully metastasize, cancer cells also need to have a specific genetic profile that is favorable for this process.
Despite the many advances in treatment, metastatic cancer remains a leading cause of death. Because it is so difficult to treat, it is important to have regular check-ups and keep an eye out for any changes.
One of the most effective methods for preventing metastasis is to catch it early with screenings. For example, breast cancer screening is recommended for women starting at age 45, and the Pap test is recommended for women starting at 25 to screen for cervical cancer.
In addition to the regular check-ups, a biopsy is usually performed on any suspicious areas. In some cases, doctors may also use MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or PET scans to look for abnormalities in the body. These tests work by using radio waves and magnets to take pictures of the inside of the body, or by introducing a dye that uses radioactive tracers to “light up” problem areas.
In the future, scientists hope to improve these tests so they can detect the presence of metastatic cancer at a much earlier stage. In addition, they are working to develop treatments that will stop cancer from spreading in the first place.