Lets say someone goes to the doctor: The doctor sees tumors in the lungs and in the liver. Why does the doctor know that its liver cancer that spread to the lungs and not lung cancer that spread to the liver?

Question

Lets say someone goes to the doctor: The doctor sees tumors in the lungs and in the liver. Why does the doctor know that its liver cancer that spread to the lungs and not lung cancer that spread to the liver?

In: 1592

Answer 1

On top of everyone else’s replies, as an ultrasound tech, on ultrasound, CT, etc, typically the appearance of a cancerous liver tumor has a different appearance than metastatic tumors on the liver. It gives an idea to look elsewhere based on the appearance. There’s different appearances for metastatic tumors on the liver giving possible clues as to where it could be coming from to search there for tumors as well.

Again though like others said, biopsies are needed to confirm everything, even that it’s cancer.