Lung Metastases
Lung metastases (mets) are areas of cancer that spread to the lung from another part of the body. The lungs are a common place for cancer to spread. The mets may be a single spot or multiple areas, and they can appear anywhere in the lung.
Sometimes, lung mets are found at the same time as the primary cancer. Other times, they may not show up until much later, sometimes months or even years after the first diagnosis.
What types of cancer spread to the lungs?
The types of cancer that most often spread to the lungs include:
Other types of cancer can also spread to the lungs, but it’s less common.
Symptoms of lung metastases
Symptoms of lung mets depend on where the cancer is in the lung. The most common symptoms are:
- Coughing
- Bringing up blood when coughing
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fluid around the lungs
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
How are lung metastases found?
Lung mets may be found because a person is having symptoms, or if the doctor is looking to see if the cancer has spread anywhere else in the body. Lung mets can be seen on imaging tests such as:
- X-Ray
- CT or CAT scan
- MRI
- PET scan
Sometimes, an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) or bronchoscopy is done to see the spots and take a biopsy to find out if they are cancer.
Treatment of lung metastases
Treatment for lung mets is usually based on the main type of cancer (primary site) the person has. Treatment may include one or more of the following:
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery if there are a small number of lung mets, usually no mets in other parts of the body, and the main cancer is under control
Symptom management
Controlling symptoms is important, especially if treatment for the main cancer is not effective or may take a while to help. Shortness of breath can be one of the hardest symptoms to deal with. Opioids (like morphine) can help relieve some of the discomfort. Anti-anxiety medicines may be helpful if other medicines don’t work.
Having trouble breathing can make you feel anxious, worried, or like you are in a panic. Some people find these helpful:
- Relaxation methods
- Distraction (watching television, reading, etc.)
- A fan blowing cool air on you
Pain can also be hard to deal with, especially if you have other symptoms. Talk to your cancer care team about how you can use medicines and supportive methods to treat your pain.
Pleural effusion (fluid buildup)
Cancer in the lungs can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, called a pleural effusion. The fluid can prevent the lungs from filling with air and make you feel short of breath.
If a pleural effusion causes symptoms, treatment usually includes treating the primary cause and draining the fluid using a small tube. This procedure is called a thoracentesis. It may need to be done more than once before the fluid stops building up.
If the fluid keeps coming back, a procedure called pleurodesis may be done to seal the space around the lung. Another option is placing a drainage tube to allow the fluid to be drained as often as needed.
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- References
Developed by the P站视频 medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). What is metastasis? Accessed at cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
Feller-Kopman, DJ. Management of nonmalignant pleural effusion in adults. UpToDate. Updated May 28, 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/management-of-nonmalignant-pleural-effusions-in-adults on July 14, 2025.
Jamil A, Kasi A. Lung metastasis. Updated January 9, 2023. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Accessed at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553111/ on July 14, 2025.
Krishna R et al. Pleural effusion. Updated August 31, 2024. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Accessed at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448189/ on July 14, 2025.
Last Revised: July 30, 2025
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