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<article><div id="d-article"><div class="page-info"><div class="page-title"><a name="start" id="start">
</a><h1 class="with-also" itemprop="name">Metastasis</h1>
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</noscript></div><div class="main"><div id="ency_summary"><p>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 <a test="test" href="./002247.htm">lymph system</a>.</p><p>If a cancer spreads, it is said to have "metastasized."</p></div><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Information</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-1" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-1"><p>Whether or not cancer cells spread to other parts of the body depends on many things, including:</p><ul><li>The type of cancer</li><li>The stage of the cancer</li><li>Original location of the cancer </li><li>Your body's natural defenses, such as the immune system</li></ul><p>Treatment depends on the type of cancer and where it has spread.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Alternative Names</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Alt" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Alt"><p>Metastatic cancer; Cancer metastases</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Images</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-tnails" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/1174t.jpg" alt="Kidney metastases - CT scan" title="Kidney metastases - CT scan" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/1174.htm">Kidney metastases - CT scan</a></li>
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/1180t.jpg" alt="Liver metastases, CT scan" title="Liver metastases, CT scan" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/1180.htm">Liver metastases, CT scan</a></li>
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/1184t.jpg" alt="Lymph node metastases, CT scan" title="Lymph node metastases, CT scan" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/1184.htm">Lymph node metastases, CT scan</a></li>
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/1200t.jpg" alt="Spleen metastasis - CT scan" title="Spleen metastasis - CT scan" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/1200.htm">Spleen and liver metastases CT scan</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>References</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Ref" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Ref"><p>Doroshow JH. Approach to the patient with cancer. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. <em>Goldman-Cecil Medicine</em>. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 169.</p><p>Krasnick BA, Goedegebuure SP, Fields R. Tumor biology and tumor markers. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. <em>Sabiston Textbook of Surgery</em>. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 28.</p><p>Rankin EB, Giaccia AJ. Cellular microenvironment and metastases. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. <em>Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. </em>6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 3.</p></div></div></section>
<section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Review Date 10/25/2022</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-version" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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<div id="section-version" class="section-body"><p>Updated by: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.</p>
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