Lung metastases are cancerous tumors that start somewhere else in the body and spread to the lungs.
is often used to treat metastatic cancer to the lung. Surgery to remove the tumors may be done when any of the following occurs:
The cancer has spread to only limited areas of the lung
The lung tumors can be completely removed with surgery
However, the main tumor must be curable, and the person must be strong enough to go through the surgery and recovery.
Other treatments include:
The placement of
inside the airways
Using local heat probes to destroy the cancer
Using very cold temperature probes to destroy the cancer
You can ease the stress of illness by joining a
where members share common experiences and problems.
A cure is unlikely in most cases of cancers that have spread to the lungs. But the outlook depends on the main cancer. In some cases, a person can live more than 5 years with metastatic cancer to the lungs.
Complications of metastatic tumors in the lungs may include:
Fluid between the lung and chest wall (
), which can cause shortness of breath or pain when taking a deep breath
Further spread of the cancer
Contact your provider if you have a history of cancer and you develop:
Coughing up blood
Persistent cough
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss
Not all cancers can be prevented. However, the chance of getting
by:
Eating healthy foods
Exercising regularly
Limiting alcohol consumption
Not smoking
Metastases to the lung; Metastatic cancer to the lung; Lung cancer - metastases; Lung mets
Arenberg DA, Reddy RM. Metastatic malignant tumors. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 79.
Hayman J, Naidoo J, Ettinger DS. Lung metastases. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 57.
National Cancer Institute website. Metastatic cancer: When cancer spreads.
www.cancer.gov/types/metastatic-cancer
. Updated January 17, 2025. Accessed May 31, 2026.
Rossetti NE, Tohmasi S, Onaitis MW, Kozower BD. Lung, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum. In: Tyler DS, Hayes-Dixon A, Hines OJ, et al, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 110.
Updated by: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.