Biopsy and pathology
What Does Metastasis Mean on a Medical Report?
Metastasis · say it: meh-TAS-tuh-sisAlso written: metastases, metastatic disease, secondary cancer, spread
Short answer
Metastasis means cancer cells have spread from where they started to another part of the body. The plural is metastases.
What it means
Metastasis describes a cancer that has spread from its original place (the primary site) to another part of the body, such as lymph nodes, bones, the liver, the lungs or the brain.
A metastasis is still named after where it started. For example, breast cancer that has spread to a bone is called metastatic breast cancer in the bone, not bone cancer.
Scan reports may say a spot is "suspicious for metastasis" or "in keeping with metastatic disease". This is an opinion from images, and a biopsy may be needed to confirm it.
Where you may see it
- CT, MRI, PET and bone scan reports
- Pathology reports of lymph nodes or other tissue
- Oncology letters and staging summaries
📄 How it looks on a report
Two small lung nodules, indeterminate; metastases cannot be excluded.
🙅 What it does not mean
- "Cannot be excluded" does not mean it is there. It means it has not been ruled out yet.
- Spread to nearby lymph nodes is not the same as spread to distant organs. Both affect staging differently.
- It does not mean there are no treatment options.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Metastasis”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “Metastasis”
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💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Metastasis”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Artemether and Lumefantrine
an antimalarial medicine, which is a fixed combination of two blood-stage antimalarial ingredients (artemether, an artemisinin derivative, and lumefantrine)
- Dexamethasone
A corticosteroid, a synthetic adrenocortical steroid medicine that lowers inflammation and suppresses the immune system
- Divalproex Sodium
An anti-epileptic (anti-seizure) drug of the valproate type. The label also uses it to treat manic episodes of bipolar disorder and to prevent migraine headaches.
- Hydroxychloroquine
an antimalarial and antirheumatic drug, which means it is used for malaria and for certain joint and immune conditions
- Insulin Glargine
an insulin analog, a long-acting man-made insulin used to treat diabetes
- Liraglutide
a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of medicine that acts like a natural gut hormone called GLP-1 to help lower blood sugar
- Prednisone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine that works like the adrenocortical (adrenal gland) steroids the body makes naturally
- Rifampin
an antibiotic of the rifamycin type
- Semaglutide
A GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of medicine that works like the natural GLP-1 hormone in the body
- Sitagliptin
a DPP-4 inhibitor, a type of medicine used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Metastasis” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “metastasis”
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More words: biopsy and pathology
General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.