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Metastatic cancer to the lung

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Metastatic cancer to the lung

Definition:

When cancer cells from another organ spread to the lungs, they are said to have metastasized to the lung.

Alternative Names:
Lung metastases

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Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Metastatic tumors in the lungs are malignancies (cancers) that developed at other sites and spread via the blood stream to the lungs. Common tumors that metastasize to the lungs include breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, sarcoma, bladder cancer, neuroblastoma, and Wilm's tumor. However, almost any cancer has the capacity to spread to the lungs.

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