Metastatic Cancer Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment
Metastatic cancer is when cancer cells spread from the original site to distant body areas and form new tumors. Find more about Metastatic cancer symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment process here.
Nivedita Dar5 Aug, 2024
Share
Metastatic cancer, or Metastasis, is a cancer that has migrated to other parts of the body from its original location. It usually happens when cancer cells spread from their parent tumor, enter your bloodstream or lymphatic system, and eventually move to other body parts. Even though most metastatic cancers are incurable, they can be managed through proper treatment.
What is Metastatic Cancer?
Metastasis cancer is when cancerous cells spread cancer to different body parts from where it was initially started. Malignancies can spread to other body parts depending on many factors, including the primary tumor's kind, size, and location. Cells within the tumor may separate and proliferate, forming secondary cancers in adjacent tissues. Additionally, cancer cells may spread to the lymphatic or circulatory systems and affect any part of the system.Metastatic Cancer Symptoms
Metastasis symptoms are not always apparent. Over many months or years, cancer cells can progressively increase and spread to cause significant damage to the body. Typical signs of Metastasis could be:- Extreme exhaustion
- Sweats during the night
- Rapid weight loss
- Liver: bloating, a large abdomen, a drop in appetite, jaundice
- Bones: pain or fractures in the bones
- Brain: headaches, convulsions, vision problems, and seizures
- Lungs: breathlessness, chest pain, cough
Causes of Metastatic Cancer
When cancer cells break from the primary organ and spread to different locations in your body, this condition is known as Metastasis. This could occur if a tumor enlarges and begins to invade adjacent tissues. Cancer cells have the potential to break off, enter the circulation or lymph system, and spread throughout the body. They may settle in another area and begin to grow into new malignancies. The major causes of metastatic cancer are given below.- A weakened immune response mechanism
- Lack of oxygen in tissues is known as hypoxia.
- The accumulation of lactic acid in the blood is known as lactic acidosis.
- Death of some specific cells (autophagy)
How Does Metastatic Cancer Spread?
Cancerous growth can impact nearby areas of the body, or the cells from the malignant growth may spread to a different body area through the bloodstream or lymph. In the course of this, the cancer cells can affect other organs in the following ways:- Expand into the tissue close to the initial cancerous area.
- Invade through the surrounding lymph nodes or blood vessels' walls.
- Reach distant body parts through the lymphatic and circulatory systems.
- It affects the walls of tiny blood vessels in another location and spreads across the surrounding tissues.
- It grows into a little tumor in tissues of another area (a metastatic tumor).
- Create new blood vessels to provide blood to the growing tumor.
Where Does Metastasis Spread More?
Lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones, and brain are the familiar places in the body where cancer typically spreads. Certain cancers have higher chances of expanding to particular organs. For instance, prostate cancer frequently spreads to the bones. Depending on the type of cancer, there are typical regions where it tends to spread. Malignancies listed below frequently expand to these other locations, as mentioned below.| Areas Where the Metastasis Spread | |
| Metastatic Cancer Type | Areas Where Metastasis Spreads |
| Bladder | Bone, liver, lung |
| Breast | Bone, brain, liver, lung |
| Colon | Liver, lung |
| Kidney | Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, lung |
| Lung | Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, the other lung |
| Melanoma | Bone, brain, liver, lung, skin, muscle |
| Ovarian | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Pancreatic | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Prostate | Adrenal gland, bone, liver, lung |
| Rectal | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Stomach | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Thyroid | Bone, liver, lung |
| Uterine | Bone, liver, lung, peritoneum, vagina |
Metastatic Cancer Diagnosis
Various procedures are frequently used to diagnose metastatic cancer, including imaging tests to get images of the inside of the body and laboratory tests that examine blood samples, urine, or other fluids. Doctors occasionally use these laboratory tests to identify tumor markers, which assist in signaling the presence of cancer cells. To detect metastatic cancer, your healthcare professional may employ one or more of the following methods:- Biopsy of the tumor
- Blood tests
- Scanning of bones
- CT (computed tomography) scans.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
- PET (positron emission tomography)
- tumor marker-based tests
- Ultrasound tests
- X-rays
Treatment of Metastatic Cancer
The goal of treatment for metastatic cancer is to reduce the cancer's rate of growth and prevent its spread. The starting location of cancer can determine how a patient is treated for Metastasis. For instance, if the patient has breast cancer and it spreads to the liver, a physician will continue to treat liver cancer in the same manner as breast cancer because cancer cells move to a new location without changing their characteristics. To treat metastatic cancer, patients usually need systemic therapy, which involves administering oral or intravenous drugs that target cancer cells throughout the body. The treatment approaches can differ depending on the type of cancer, the original location, and the extent and new location of the metastases. Therapies for metastatic cancer could involve the following:- Chemotherapy
- Hormone treatment
- Radiation treatment
- Targeted Therapy
What types of cancer are more likely to develop as metastases?
Cancers generated in the lungs, colon, breast, pancreas, prostate, and skin are more likely to spread and cause Metastasis.
How does immunotherapy help treat metastatic cancer?
Immunotherapy strengthens your body's immune system to identify and destroy cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading, thus controlling Metastasis.
What do tumor markers indicate?
Tumor markers are proteins produced by cancer cells and give information about the presence of certain types of cancer in the body.
What are the symptoms of melanoma?
Melanoma is a severe type of skin cancer indicated by an odd mole or patch on the skin that seems to be gradually expanding or changing.
What is the difference between advanced cancer and metastatic cancer?
Advanced and metastatic cancers are stage 4, but advanced cancers are mainly localized, whereas Metastasis spreads to other body parts.
Talk to a counsellorHave doubts? Our support team will be happy to assist you!
Check out these Related Articles
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Live & recorded classes available at easeDashboard for progress trackingMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
Free Learning Resources
PW Books
Notes (Class 10-12)
PW Study Materials
Notes (Class 6-9)
Ncert Solutions
Govt Exams
Class 6th to 12th Online Courses
Govt Job Exams Courses
UPSC Coaching
Defence Exam Coaching
Gate Exam Coaching
Other Exams
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others
Copyright © 2025 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.