My cancer came back. Four words no one ever wants to say. You fought the battle once and now your cancer has spread, or metastasized, and is in a new location in your body.

If you are facing a cancer recurrence, it is normal to feel shock and distress. When a patient’s cancer comes back, it is important to understand that a recurrence does not mean the first treatment was wrong or did not work, and it does not mean you did anything wrong following treatment.

At Alliance Cancer Care, we know that cancer treatment is so much more than just the treatment. Our team of knowledgeable radiation oncologists are here to help you in your fight against cancer.

Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from the part of the body where it started to other parts of the body. When this happens, physicians say the cancer has metastasized. Your physician may also call it recurrent cancer, advanced cancer, or stage IV (4) cancer. Metastatic cancer has the same name and the same type of cancer cells as the original, or primary, cancer. For example, breast cancer that spreads to the lung and forms a metastatic tumor is metastatic breast cancer, not lung cancer.

Metastatic cancer cells spread throughout the body in a couple of different ways. If they travel through the lymph system, they may end up in nearby lymph nodes or they may spread to other organs. More often, cancer cells that break off from the main tumor travel through the bloodstream. Once in the blood, they can go to any part of the body. The most common areas cancer cells spread to are the brain, lungs, liver, and bones. Metastatic cancer cells can also remain inactive at a distant site for many years before they begin to grow again, if at all.

If you have recently been diagnosed with metastatic cancer, knowing your treatment options, including a second opinion, is important. Our team of knowledgeable radiation oncologists are here to you in your fight against cancer.