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There is a lump
Loss of hair
Lumps under skin
Thinning hair
Cysts under skin
Losing hair
There is a nodule in the groin
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
Skin metastasis of malignant tumor is the spread of cancerous cells from another organ (usually the lungs, liver, and breasts) to the skin through either the blood or lymphatic system. Spread to the skin is generally rare, and patients with such a tumor typically have a poor prognosis.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Different treatment options will be recommended by the doctor depending on the source of the cancer. Most commonly, patients will require systemic therapy and treatment of the underlying primary tumor.
Reviewed By:
Robin Schoenthaler, MD (Oncology)
Board certified radiation oncologist with over 30 years experience treating cancer patients. Senior physician advisor for expert medical options in adult oncology. Published award-winning essayist on medical and health issues and more.
Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)
Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Q.
Is It Metastasis? Why Cancer Spreads & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Metastasis is cancer that has spread from its original site to distant organs, and while serious it is often treatable with modern therapies. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. If you have new or unexplained symptoms, especially with a cancer history, prompt medical evaluation with imaging and possibly biopsy, asking about molecular testing and tailored treatments, knowing urgent red flags, and considering second opinions are key next steps, with full symptom lists, diagnostic options, and risk reduction guidance provided below.
References:
* Massagué J, Obenauf AC. The hallmarks of cancer metastasis. Cancer Cell. 2016 Jan 11;29(1):17-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2015.12.006. PMID: 26760679.
* Ganesh K, Massagué J. Metastasis: molecular mechanisms and clinical challenges. Cancer Cell. 2021 Jan 11;39(1):17-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.10.012. PMID: 33430138; PMCID: PMC7856403.
* Alix-Panabières C, Pantel K. Circulating Tumor Cells and DNA in Metastatic Cancer: Current Clinical Use and Future Directions. Annu Rev Med. 2021 Jan 27;72:1-16. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-062419-022646. PMID: 32906236.
* Massagué J, Ganesh K. Current and emerging therapies for metastatic cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2022 May;19(5):295-304. doi: 10.1038/s41571-022-00624-9. Epub 2022 Apr 20. PMID: 35444265; PMCID: PMC9020953.
* Lambert AW, Pattabiraman DR, Weinberg RA. The Metastatic Cascade: Biology and Treatment. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2017 Sep 1;7(9):a029314. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a029314. PMID: 28674147; PMCID: PMC5580556.
Q.
Neoplasm Diagnosis? Why Your Body Is Growing Tissue & Medical Next Steps
A.
A neoplasm is an abnormal tissue growth that can be benign or malignant, caused by DNA changes that drive uncontrolled cell growth, and it requires medical evaluation, often with imaging and a biopsy, to know what it is. Next steps include seeing a clinician promptly for an exam, appropriate scans, and if malignant, staging and treatment options such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. There are several factors to consider, including red flag symptoms, skin changes, when to monitor vs remove benign lesions, and prevention and screening guidance; see below for complete details that could affect your personal plan.
References:
* Chen L, Han X, Li B, Zhang B. Recent Advances in the Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 1;24(3):2841. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032841. PMID: 36769068; PMCID: PMC9917387.
* Ma X, Yu W, Jiang H, Fan X. Recent Advances in Early Detection of Cancer: From Biomarkers to Advanced Technologies. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 3;24(1):809. doi: 10.3390/ijms24010809. PMID: 36613941; PMCID: PMC9820712.
* Rodon J, Soria JC, Berger R, Blay JY, Soria JC, et al. Next-generation sequencing for clinical cancer care. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2019 Aug;16(8):523-534. doi: 10.1038/s41571-019-0211-0. Epub 2019 May 20. PMID: 31110398.
* Hinshaw DC, Shevde LA. The Tumor Microenvironment Modulates Cancer Stem Cell Activities. Annu Rev Med. 2021 Jan 27;72:123-137. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-042219-035133. PMID: 33501712.
* Hanahan D. Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions. Cancer Discov. 2022 Sep 2;12(9):1609-1616. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-22-0495. PMID: 35799971.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Thompson, A. K., Kelley, B. F., & Prokop, L. J. (2016). Risk factors for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma recurrence, metastasis, and disease-specific death: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2481419Burton, K. A., Ashack, K. A., & Khachemoune, A. (2016). Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a review of high-risk and metastatic disease. American journal of clinical Dermatology.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40257-016-0207-3Hussein, M. R. A. (2010). Skin metastasis: a pathologist's perspective. Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0560.2009.01469.x