U01.04.026 Common metastases

Metastatic Spread Patterns

Carcinomas That Spread Hematogenously

Site	Primary Tumor	Notes
Brain	Lung > Breast > Melanoma, Colon, Kidney	50% of brain tumors are from metastases. Commonly seen as multiple well-circumscribed tumors at the gray/white matter junction.
Liver	Colon >> Stomach > Pancreas	Liver and lung are the most common sites of metastasis after the regional lymph nodes.
Bone	Prostate, Breast > Kidney, Thyroid, Lung	Painful Bones Kill The Lungs. Bone metastasis can be: – Lytic (e.g., thyroid, kidney, non-small cell lung cancer) – Blastic (e.g., prostate, small cell lung cancer) – Mixed (e.g., breast cancer) Predilection for the axial skeleton. Bone metastasis is more common than primary bone tumors (e.g., multiple myeloma).

Sites of Metastasis

Sarcomas typically spread through the bloodstream, while carcinomas more commonly spread through lymphatics.
Hematogenous spread of carcinoma is notable in certain types, including follicular thyroid carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Brain metastases are often from lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, and kidney cancer, typically presenting as multiple tumors.
Liver metastases are common from colon cancer, stomach cancer, and pancreas cancer.
Bone metastases are prevalent in prostate, breast, kidney, thyroid, and lung cancers, and they can be lytic, blastic, or mixed. The axial skeleton is commonly affected.

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