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If lung cancer spreads

  1. Home
  2. Cancer information
  3. Cancer types
  4. Lung
  5. If cancer spreads
Print
Last medical review:

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

Expert review and references

  • Stephen Lam, MD, FRCPC
  • American Cancer Society. What is Lung Cancer?. 2019.
  • Chiang A, Detterbeck FC, Stewart T, Decker RH, Tanoue L. Non–small cell lung cancer. DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2019: 48:618–670.
  • Hann CL, Wu MA, Rekhtman N, Rudin CM. Small cell and neuroendocrine tumors of the lung. DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2019: 49:671–699.
  • PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) – Patient Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2020. https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/patient/non-small-cell-lung-treatment-pdq.
  • PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) – Patient Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2020. https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/patient/small-cell-lung-treatment-pdq.

Medical disclaimer

The information that the Canadian Cancer Society provides does not replace your relationship with your doctor. The information is for your general use, so be sure to talk to a qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions or if you have questions about your health.

We do our best to make sure that the information we provide is accurate and reliable but cannot guarantee that it is error-free or complete.

The Canadian Cancer Society is not responsible for the quality of the information or services provided by other organizations and mentioned on cancer.ca, nor do we endorse any service, product, treatment or therapy.

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