Metastasis (definition of)

Metastasis is the term for what happens when a cancer appears in a distant part of the body. Mesothelioma has been known to metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract, the throat, lymphatic system and even the brain.

Mesothelioma and breast cancer are two types of cancer that are likely to metastasize. In the case of mesothelioma, the size of asbestos fibers that caused the disease in the first place are a large part of the reason; these fibers are actually microscopic, and thus can pass though the same routes as the body's own cells. In other cases, a few of these outlaw cells break away from the main tumor and travel via the bloodstream or the lymph ducts and become established elsewhere.

Although such cancers cannot be cured or eliminated, many treatments and therapies are available today that can slow the spread of the cancer while providing relief from pain and other symptoms.