Metastases can appear in any part of the body. A site for metastatic cancer must have a blood supply and an environment where it can grow. Cancer cells may travel throughout the body. They only take hold in specific locations. Common sites are the brain, lungs, liver, lymph nodes, bone, skin, and adrenal glands.
Some cancers tend to involve the entire body or system from the start.
Such cancers include leukemias and lymphomas. Where and when a cancer will spread depends on the primary tissue type and the genetic abnormality of the cancer. The symptoms of metastasis depend on the site of spread. Other common problems are skin tumors, excess fluid in the abdomen, known as ascites, and swelling caused by blocked lymph vessels, called lymphedema. The adrenal gland may fail.