Surgery may be used to ablate a metastasis.
A metastasis is a secondary tumor that develops in another body from cancerous cells from the primary tumor that have spread.
This means that these cells have spread elsewhere in the body, usually through the bloodstream and to a lesser extent through the lymphatic system. Also known as secondary location.
All primary cancers do not metastasize in the same areas of the body.
For example, breast cancers tend to produce metastases in the liver, lungs, bones or brain.
Cancers of the prostate metastasize most often in bones, liver or lungs.
In the natural history of cancer, metastases can be identified at three different times:

  • one or metastases may be discovered before the primary tumor and reveal the presence of cancer
  • one or metastases may be discovered during the diagnosis and assessment of the primary tumor,



  • one or metastases may be discovered after the management of the primary tumor, within a period shorter or longer during the monitoring. These are usually cells that were present during the processing of the primary tumor but have taken some time to become detectable by the tests.

Surgery of metastases is performed including if:

  • There is presence of a single metastasis or metastases are limited;
  • Intervention provides a significant gain in terms of survival for the patient, or a curative intent;


  • The general health of the patient makes the surgery;
  • The disease is locally controlled, that is to say that there is no recurrence and local spread.
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