metastasis
/mɪˈtastəsɪs
/noun (plural metastases /mɪˈtastəsiːz/) [mass noun] Medicine
1The development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer: an increased risk of metastasis...
- Six years later, a fine-needle aspirate of a cervical vertebra showed malignant cells consistent with metastasis from a primary lung carcinoma.
- Patients with a diagnosis of granular cell tumor should have a complete physical examination to exclude other primary tumors or metastasis from an aggressive malignant tumor.
- Preoperatively, radiation is delivered to decrease the risk of local recurrence, prevent the development of distant metastasis and reduce tumor size to permit sphincter-preserving surgery.
1.1 [count noun] A metastatic growth: the patient developed pleural and liver metastases...
- These findings were thought to be consistent with carcinoid tumor with metastases to the liver.
- Patients with certain rare tumours, such as liver metastases from neuroendocrine disease and sarcomas, can do well for several years.
- We report a case in which cutaneous metastases from a melanoma imitated herpes zoster.
Derivatives
metastatic
/ adjective ...- Unlike carcinomas, metastatic sarcomas generally occur deeper and may not ulcerate the mucosa.
- Meningeal spread is not uncommon in cases of intracranial gliomas or metastatic carcinoma.
- The echocardiography and the pathologic examination revealed a metastatic melanoma.
Origin
Late 16th century (as a rhetorical term, meaning 'rapid transition from one point to another'): from Greek, literally 'removal or change', from methistanai 'to change'.