Are Certain Organs More Prone to Cancer Metastasis?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Certain organs, such as the lung, liver, bone, and brain, are more prone to cancer metastasis due to the favorable interactions between metastatic cancer cells and the specific microenvironments of these organs. The “seed and soil” hypothesis remains a foundational concept in understanding these organ-specific metastasis patterns.

Cancer metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to distant organs, is a major cause of cancer-related deaths. The “seed and soil” hypothesis, proposed by Stephen Paget in 1889, suggests that metastasis depends on the interaction between cancer cells (the “seeds”) and specific organ environments (the “soil”). This hypothesis remains relevant today, as research continues to explore why certain cancers preferentially metastasize to specific organs.

Key Insights

• Organ-Specific Metastasis Patterns:
  • Certain tumors, such as those from breast cancer, show a strong tendency to metastasize to specific organs like the lung, liver, bone, and brain1 2 3.
• Tumor-Stroma Interactions:
  • The interactions between metastatic tumor cells and the organ microenvironment are crucial for metastasis. These interactions help create a supportive environment for tumor growth and survival 1 2 3.
• Microenvironmental Factors:
  • The success of metastatic colonization depends on the reciprocal cross-talk between cancer cells and host cells within the target organ. This relationship shapes the formation of a tumor-supportive microenvironment 1 2 3.

Are certain organs more prone to cancer metastasis?

Ana Patricia  Gomes has answered Uncertain

An expert from Weill Cornell Medical College in Cancer Metastasis

There is definitely a metastatic tissue tropism, but wether that is driven by the cancer itself (for example prostate cancer normally metastasize to the bone while breast cancers have a preference for brain and lung) or if it is the target organ that processes the best intrinsic properties for the specific cancer cells to home there. Bottom line is we don’t really know probably both aspects are at play

Are certain organs more prone to cancer metastasis?

Stanley P. L. Leong MD has answered Near Certain

An expert from California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in Cancer Metastasis, Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy

Stephen Paget has described the seed and soil principle of cancer metastasis:

Pantel, K., Cote, R.J., and Fodsyad, O. “Detection and Clinical Importance of Micrometastatic Disease.”Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 91 (1999): 1113-1124. [PUBMED]

Examples: colon cancer to liver; uveal melanoma to liver; lung cancer to adrenal gland, etc.

Recent publications have further defined the molecule involved with the seed and soil phenomenom.