Lung MetastasesSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Lung Metastases
Lung metastases are cancerous tumors that start somewhere else in the body and spread to the lungs.
Metastases to the lung; Metastatic cancer to the lung; Lung cancer - metastases; Lung mets
Metastatic tumors in the lungs are cancers that developed at other places in the body (or other parts of the lungs). They then spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the lungs. It is different than lung cancer that starts in the lungs.
Nearly any cancer can spread to the lungs. Common cancers that do this include:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Melanoma
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Sarcoma
- Testicular cancer
- Thyroid cancer
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Bloody sputum
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Weight loss
Chemotherapy is often used to treat metastatic cancer to the lung. Surgery to remove the tumors may be done when any of the following occurs:
- The cancer has spread to only limited areas of the lung
- The lung tumors can be completely removed with surgery
However, the main tumor must be curable, and the person must be strong enough to go through the surgery and recovery.
Other treatments include:
- Radiation therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted systemic therapy
- The placement of stents inside the airways
- Laser therapy
- Using local heat probes to destroy the cancer
- Using very cold temperature probes to destroy the cancer
Warren Clinic Pulmonology
Walter Boomer is a Pulmonary Medicine provider practicing medicine in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has been practicing medicine for over 41 years. Dr. Boomer is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Metastases. He is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Lung Nodules, Pneumonia, and Gastrostomy.
OSF Medical Group - Lung & Pulmonology
Jon Michel is an Intensive Care Medicine specialist and a Sleep Medicine provider practicing medicine in Peoria, Illinois. Dr. Michel is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Metastases. He is also highly rated in 14 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lung Metastases, Emphysema, Bullae, Gastrostomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Michel is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine and United Council For Neurologic Subspecialties.
Aurora Pulmonology
Raul Ayala is a Pulmonary Medicine provider practicing medicine in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dr. Ayala is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lung Metastases. He is also highly rated in 33 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Emphysema, Lung Nodules, and Advanced Bronchoscopy. Dr. Ayala is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease.
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A cure is unlikely in most cases of cancers that have spread to the lungs. But the outlook depends on the main cancer. In some cases, a person can live more than 5 years with metastatic cancer to the lungs.
Complications of metastatic tumors in the lungs may include:
- Fluid between the lung and chest wall (pleural effusion), which can cause shortness of breath or pain when taking a deep breath
- Further spread of the cancer
Contact your provider if you have a history of cancer and you develop:
- Coughing up blood
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
Not all cancers can be prevented. However, the chance of getting many cancers can be reduced by:
- Eating healthy foods
- Exercising regularly
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Not smoking
Summary: This is a Phase 3, multi-center, randomized and intrasubject controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of abenacianine for injection, a tumor-targeted, activatable fluorescent imaging agent, to identify cancer using NIR imaging in participants undergoing surgery for cancer in the lung. Approximately 132 partiipants will be enrolled to ensure a minimum of 115 evaluable participants recei...
Summary: The patients with non-resectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) have always being considered a particular subgroup of CRLM in which the therapeutic approach, is focused on strategies that allow a potential surgery like neoadjuvant systemic treatments. But, the underlying biology that causes this particular profile of spread in a proportion of patients that always recur and progress in the live...
Published Date: May 01, 2026
Published By: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Arenberg DA, Reddy RM. Metastatic malignant tumors. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 79.
Hayman J, Naidoo J, Ettinger DS. Lung metastases. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 57.
National Cancer Institute website. Metastatic cancer: When cancer spreads. www.cancer.gov/types/metastatic-cancer. Updated January 17, 2025. Accessed May 31, 2026.
Rossetti NE, Tohmasi S, Onaitis MW, Kozower BD. Lung, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum. In: Tyler DS, Hayes-Dixon A, Hines OJ, et al, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 110.