This is a brief description of where the cancers are likely to spread. For more information on these cancers, refer to the American Cancer Society documents for these cancer sites.

Bladder: Bladder cancer tends to grow locally and invade local tissues such as the pelvic wall. It also spreads to lungs, liver, and bone.

Brain: Brain cancer rarely spreads outside the brain. It mainly grows throughout the brain.

Breast: Breast cancer most commonly spreads to the bone but also can spread to the liver, lung, and brain. As the cancer progresses, it may affect any organ, even the eye. It can also spread to the skin near where the cancer started.

Cervix: This cancer first spreads to local organs near the cervix, like the bowel and bladder and lymph nodes. Later it can spread to lungs, liver and bone.

Colorectal: The most common site for colon cancer to spread is to the liver. Next sites are bone and lung. Spread to the brain is uncommon.

Rectal cancer commonly spreads to the lung, brain, and bone. But its major site of spread is in the pelvis, where the rectal cancer started. This can be painful because it grows into nerves and bones in this area.

Esophagus: Esophageal cancer mostly grows locally. As it progresses, swallowing may become difficult. This can occur suddenly or gradually over several months.

Kidney: Kidney or renal cancer can grow locally and invade directly into surrounding tissues. When it spreads, the lungs and bones are the most common sites.

Leukemia: Leukemias advance by filling the bone marrow with leukemia cells. The normal bone marrow is replaced and cannot produce normal cells, such as oxygen-carrying red cells, infection-fighting white cells, or platelets that stop bleeding.

Liver: Liver cancer doesn’t often spread outside the liver; rather, it grows in the liver as it becomes advanced.

Lung: Lung cancer can spread to any organ of the body, but most often it will spread to the liver, bones, and brain. It will grow in the lung and spread to other parts of the lung. It can also grow into the sac around the heart (pericardium).

Lymphoma: Lymphomas tend to stay in the lymph nodes and bone marrow. They will spread to other organs when they are very far advanced. The involvement of lymph nodes can be very troublesome because this can cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen and lungs, as well as in the arms and legs.

Melanoma: Melanoma can spread anywhere in the body. It first tends to go to local lymph nodes but then can spread through the blood to the brain, lungs, liver, and bone.

Mouth and throat: Cancers of the mouth, throat, or nasal passages tend to grow locally. When they spread, it is usually to the lungs.

Multiple myeloma: Multiple myeloma mainly stays in the bone where it started and rarely spreads elsewhere. But myeloma cells produce substances that cause the bones to weaken and fracture. Because it dissolves bones, the release of so much calcium causes hypercalcemia. Myeloma protein produced in large amounts can damage the kidneys. This reduces a person's ability to dispose of excess salt, fluid, and body waste products. Myeloma patients are about 15 times more likely to develop infections. The most common and serious of these is pneumonia.

Ovarian: Ovarian cancer, in the advanced stage, most often spreads to the lining and organs of the abdomen and can cause a build-up of fluid and swelling in the abdomen. It can also spread to the outer lining of the lung and cause fluid to accumulate there. It much less often spreads outside the abdomen and pelvis.

Pancreatic: Pancreatic cancer mainly stays in the abdomen and grows locally as well as spreading to the liver. It can also spread to the lungs, bones, and brain.

Prostate: Prostate cancer, when it spreads, usually goes to the bones. Much less often, it will spread to other organs, including the brain.

Stomach: Gastric or stomach cancer tends to spread locally and within the abdomen. The next areas it goes to are the liver and lungs. Spread to bone and brain is less common.

Last Medical Review: 01/28/2009
Last Revised: 01/28/2009