Metastatic pleural tumor

Alternative names:

tumor - metastatic pleural

Definition:

The process by which cancer cells are spread from another organ to the pleural space (the space surrounding the lungs).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cancer cells may be transported by the blood and lymph systems to other organs in the body. Almost any cancer can spread to the lungs, and metastases are found in 20 to 40% of patients dying of various cancers. Metastatic pleural tumors usually cause a pleural effusion (collection of fluid in the pleural space), which is often bloody. Risk factors are a previous medical history of cancer. The incidence is 5 out of 10,000 people.