How it affects you
Symptoms and signs of metastatic cancer depend on where the cancer is. Sometimes people don’t know they have cancer until after the tests show that the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.
Symptoms of metastatic cancer can include:
- feeling tired or sick
- trouble sleeping
- losing weight without trying
- general aches and pains in your body
- night sweats and fevers.
Depending on where the cancer is, people may develop pain in that area or may have a new swelling or a lump. They might also have symptoms relating to the organ that is affected. For example, they may have trouble with their eyes if the cancer has spread to their brain or trouble breathing if the cancer has spread to their lungs.
There might also be sore areas, weakened bones or problems with how the body makes blood.
There are also side effects from cancer treatment, and problems that could be from other illnesses.
If you feel worried that the cancer has spread, and don’t know what is going to happen, yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker.