Metastatic cancer comes in many forms. While these types of metastatic cancer do have some similarities, they have some unique differences as well, in terms of symptoms, what treatment is chosen, whether chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, surgery, or some combination; and survivability. Let’s take a look at metastases in the form of metastatic breast cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, brain cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer; and what you can do to formulate a plan of action to beat them!

Metastatic Breast Cancer

Early symptoms of metastatic breast cancer will vary depending on where the cancer has spread to. Common metastasis sites for breast cancer include breast cancer spread to bone, breast cancer spread to the brain, breast cancer spread to the liver, and breast cancer spread to the lung. 

Signs of metastatic breast cancer that has spread to the bones include frequent pain and fractures. When the brain is affected, this may cause dizziness and seizures, while breast cancer that has spread to the liver can cause jaundice, pain in the abdomen (particularly on the right side), and abdominal swelling. Breast cancer that has spread to the lungs can cause shortness of breath. 

Where exactly the cancer metastasizes will affect an individual’s metastatic breast cancer life expectancy. Breast cancer makes up 22% of bone metastases. The five-year metastatic breast cancer survival rate when bone is affected is 10%. However, overall, the average five-year survival rate for all metastatic breast cancers is 30% for women and 9% for male breast cancer. The rate for men is much lower due to men often not considering breast cancer when they notice irregularities in their health, resulting in a later diagnosis and an illness that has progressed further by that point.

Metastatic Melanoma

Metastatic melanoma, along with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic basal cell carcinoma, is a type of metastatic skin cancer. Metastatic melanoma symptoms can be widely varied, as metastatic types of skin cancer are variable in the parts of the body they often affect. It has been shown to frequently travel to the bones, brain, liver, lung, other parts of the skin, and muscles.

Metastatic melanoma prognosis is also affected by the location of the secondary tumors. Lung and brain involvement have a poorer outcome. However, the 5-year survival rate for patients fighting metastatic melanoma hovers around 30%.

Metastatic Lung Cancer

Metastatic lung cancer is another type of cancer that is notorious for affecting numerous parts of the body when it metastasizes. Lung cancer is known to commonly travel to the adrenal gland, bones, brain, liver, and to the opposite lung. Stage IV lung cancer is difficult to treat, with a survival rate of about 8% over five years. The designation of lung cancer as metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as opposed to small cell lung cancer and the distance it has traveled heavily impact survival rates. 

Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer may only affect men, but it is important for everyone to understand the symptoms and options of metastatic prostate cancer in order to support those they love. Prostate cancer often metastasizes in the adrenal glands, bones, liver, and lungs. Treatment for metastatic prostate cancer may be possible if the new location is responsive to it. Another concern with prostate cancer is recurring prostate cancer. 

Though this isn’t necessarily metastasis, it is a cancer that is known to sometimes come back, and it may not cause symptoms for quite some time, increasing its ability to metastasize eventually. The good news is, there is a test for prostate-specific antigens, or PSA, that can monitor the presence of cancer, whether it has spread or not. PSA levels in metastatic prostate cancer will be elevated, indicating that additional investigation is required. 

Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Approximately 180 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer daily in the United States. By the time pancreatic cancer is detected, it has often spread, with most patients diagnosed as stage IV pancreatic cancer. This is because the location of the pancreas makes it hard to feel for tumors, and symptoms are often overlooked or show up as the disease progresses. Pancreatic cancer metastasis sites include the liver, lung, and peritoneum, the abdominal lining. Metastatic pancreatic cancer life expectancy is limited to a 3% five-year survival rate. This low metastatic pancreatic cancer prognosis is also associated with its often delayed diagnosis. 

Metastatic Bladder Cancer

Metastatic bladder cancer is also known as metastatic urothelial cancer or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. This cancer originates in the urothelial cells, or cells of the bladder and urethra. Common bladder cancer metastasis sites are the bones, liver, and lungs. As the cancer spreads further from the bladder, the metastatic bladder cancer life expectancy decreases, with an 8% five-year survival rate for cancers that have moved beyond the pelvic region. 

Metastatic Kidney Cancer

Metastatic renal cancer, or metastatic kidney cancer, has a slightly better five-year survival rate than metastatic bladder cancer. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma life expectancy is 15%. As with other types of metastasis, metastatic renal cell carcinoma treatment is more complicated than kidney cancer. Some renal cancer metastasis sites that are often diagnosed are the adrenal glands, bones, brain, liver, and lungs. 

Metastatic Brain Cancer

When it comes to talking about metastatic brain cancer, the focus is often more on other cancers that metastasize to the brain, not from the brain itself. Brain metastases or “brain mets” refer to other types of cancer that spread to the brain, even though they are technically considered to be the original type of cancer. Metastatic brain tumors that originate in the brain are generally limited to the central nervous system and rarely spread to other parts of the body.

Brain metastasis symptoms in terms of other types of cancer that have spread to the brain might include headaches, weakness, personality changes, confusion, eyesight changes, and general feeling of malaise. Metastatic brain cancer survival rates vary widely, and are impacted by factors such as age, the type of tumor, and the patient’s functional level.  

Metastatic Liver Cancer

Similar to brain cancer, metastatic liver cancer generally refers to other types of cancers that have spread to the liver. This can get confusing, since most other metastatic cancer names refer to the place in which they originated. However, the liver, like the brain, is very accessible to other types of cancer due to the organ’s multiple large blood supplies. Cancers originating in the liver and brain, though not immune to metastasis, are often confined to their starting location. Secondary liver cancer is actually more common than cancer originating in the liver. Breast cancer metastasis to the liver is common, as is the spread of numerous other cancers. Liver metastases treatment varies widely based on its advancement and type of liver cancer. 

Metastatic Thyroid Cancer

Metastatic thyroid cancer refers to cancer originating in the butterfly shaped thyroid gland in the neck area. Metastatic papillary thyroid cancer is most common, as 80% of all thyroid cancer diagnoses are the papillary type. Thyroid cancer metastasis sites are the bones, liver, and lung. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma is often more treatable than other types. Metastatic thyroid cancer survival rates vary depending on the type of thyroid cancer involved, but when it comes to metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma, the five-year survival rate is 74%.

There is a lot of information available about the types of metastatic cancer, and it can get overwhelming, especially when you or a family member is facing a diagnosis. By understanding some of the symptoms, treatment options, and outlooks for these cancer types, you can arm yourself to face these threats, and SHAREing & CAREing can help with further support. Contact us for support in your cancer journey or that of a loved one. We can help you find low-cost or free treatments, utilize our patient navigation tools, and support you with our recovery and survivorship services. 

Sources:

• Metastatic Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute
• Survival After Bone Metastasis by Primary Cancer Type, Epidemiology
• Estimation of the Number of Individuals Living with Metastatic Cancer in the United States, Journal of the National Cancer Institute
• Secondary Cancer, National Cancer Institute
• What is Metastasis?, Cleveland Clinic
• Metastatic Cancer: When Cancer Spreads, National Cancer Institute
• Metastatic Melanoma, StatPearls.