“Oligometastasis” is Greek for “a few that spread.” Oligometastatic lung cancer is defined loosely as lung cancer that has spread to a limited number of sites in the body. Typically, this means five or fewer sites, but can mean as many as 10 or more sites.
UChicago Medicine’s Limited Metastatic Cancer Program is internationally renown for advancing the diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic cancers, including lung cancer. Many patients are adding years to their lives with treatment regimens designed to curtail the spread of cancer. In rare cases, these treatments offer a cure.
Our cancer experts determine on a case-by-case basis whether a patient’s lung cancer can be classified as oligometastatic. In general, we look at the overall burden of disease in addition to the number of sites that lung cancer has spread to. For example, a patient might be diagnosed with oligometastatic lung cancer if her cancer has spread to seven sites but with small amounts of cancer in each site. At the same time, another patient with only three sites of spread but with large amounts of cancer in one of the sites might also be diagnosed as oligometastatic cancer.
Other factors may also be considered when diagnosing oligometastatic lung cancer, including a previous history of cancer, the pace at which the cancer is spreading, and overall health.
Our cancer team may order various tests to assist in making a diagnosis, including imaging exams and a biopsy (the removal of a small amount of cancerous tissue).