If lung cancer spreads

Last medical review: May 2020

Cancer cells can spread from the lung to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.

Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your healthcare team plan your treatment and future care. If lung cancer spreads, it can spread to the following:

lymph nodes in and around the lung and the chest and around the collarbone
membranes around the lung, chest and heart
chest wall
diaphragm
windpipe (trachea)
spine
the other lung
esophagus
heart
adrenal glands
liver
bones
brain

Stephen Lam, MD, FRCPC

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