Which statement best describes metastasis?

Which statement best describes metastasis?

• A. Metastasis refers to growth of a tumor at the primary site
• B. Metastasis refers to the immune clearance of cancer cells
• C. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells to distant sites away from the original tumor
• D. Metastasis refers to the formation of new blood vessels to feed tumors

Answer: (C)

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original tumor to distant sites away from where it first developed. This involves cancer cells breaking away, entering blood or lymphatic vessels, surviving travel, exiting into a new tissue, and growing into new tumors there. This spreading is what often makes cancer harder to treat and is associated with a poorer prognosis. Growth at the original site describes the primary tumor itself, not its spread. Immune clearance refers to the body's immune system removing cancer cells rather than disseminating them. The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, supports tumor growth by feeding it, but it is a separate process from metastasis, even though it can aid dissemination.

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original tumor to distant sites away from where it first developed. This involves cancer cells breaking away, entering blood or lymphatic vessels, surviving travel, exiting into a new tissue, and growing into new tumors there. This spreading is what often makes cancer harder to treat and is associated with a poorer prognosis.

Growth at the original site describes the primary tumor itself, not its spread. Immune clearance refers to the body's immune system removing cancer cells rather than disseminating them. The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, supports tumor growth by feeding it, but it is a separate process from metastasis, even though it can aid dissemination.