metastasise
Definition
- Verb (Intransitive):
- To spread from an original site to other parts of the body: Used specifically in a medical context to describe the process by which cancer cells break away from a primary tumor, travel through the blood or lymph system, and form new tumors in other organs or tissues.
Usage
- This verb is used almost exclusively in medical and biological contexts to describe the progression of a malignant disease.
- It is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object. The subject is typically the disease or the cancerous cells themselves.
- The standard past tense and past participle form is metastasized (American English) or metastasised (British English).
Examples
- Verb:
- The oncologist confirmed that the breast cancer had begun to metastasise to the liver and bones.
- Once a tumor metastasises, treatment becomes significantly more complex.
- Researchers are studying what signals cause certain cells to metastasize.
Advanced Usage
- "to metastasise to [an organ/area]": This is the standard construction to indicate the destination of the spread.
- The melanoma metastasised to her brain.
- Figurative Use: Occasionally used in non-medical contexts to describe the harmful spread of an idea, problem, or influence.
- The initial scandal metastasised into a full-blown political crisis. (Note: This is an extended, metaphorical use.)
Variants and Related Words
- Metastasis (n): The process or the instance of spreading. The plural is .
- The CT scan revealed multiple metastases in the lungs.
- Metastatic (adj): Characterized by or relating to metastasis.
- The patient was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
Synonyms
- Spread: (General term; lacks the specific medical precision of ).
- Disseminate: (Often used in medical contexts for the spread of disease or cells).
Antonyms
- Remain localized: (To be confined to the original site).
- Regress: (To decrease in severity or extent).
Verb
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spread throughout the body
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the cancer had metastasized and the patient could not be saved
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