Where Does Lung Cancer Commonly Spread?
While lung cancer can spread to many areas of the body, certain places are more common.
Bones
Approximately 30 to 40 percent of people with NSCLC develop bone metastasis over the course of the disease, and 60 percent already have metastases at the time of diagnosis.
Lung cancer that spreads to the bones typically affects the ribs, pelvis, spine, and long bones in the body, but it can spread to any bone. The cancer’s spread may be seen on imaging, but it often isn’t diagnosed until it causes pain or other problems.
Tests such as a bone scan, CT scan, MRI, PET scan, and X-ray can detect cancer that has moved to the bones.
Brain
About 16 to 20 percent of people with lung cancer develop brain metastases, depending on factors such as the type of tumor mutation. Symptoms of brain metastases may include difficulty talking, headaches, loss of balance, memory problems, seizures, and vision changes.
Doctors can spot lung cancer that has spread to the brain in a CT scan or MRI.
Adrenal Glands
The adrenal glands (small glands located on top of the kidneys) are another common site of lung cancer metastasis, occurring in approximately 10 percent of people with lung cancer.
Doctors can perform scans to determine whether the cancer has traveled to the adrenal glands.
Liver
Between 17.5 and 20.5 percent of people diagnosed with SCLC and 3 percent of those with other types of lung cancer develop liver metastasis. In most cases, lung cancer that has metastasized to the liver carries a worse prognosis than other metastasis locations, with an overall survival of three to six months.
Doctors can perform tests such as an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, and PET scan to look for cancer that has spread to the liver.
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