metastasis

American  

[muh-tas-tuh-sis] / məˈtæs tə sɪs /

noun

plural

metastases

1. Pathology.

   1. the transference of disease-producing organisms or of malignant or cancerous cells to other parts of the body by way of the blood or lymphatic vessels or membranous surfaces.

   2. the condition produced by this.

2. transformation.

3. Rhetoric. a rapid transition, as from one subject to another.

4. Physics. a change in position or orbit of an elementary particle.

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metastasis British  

/ mɪˈtæstəsɪs, ˌmɛtəˈstætɪk /

noun

1. pathol the spreading of a disease, esp cancer cells, from one part of the body to another

2. a transformation or change, as in rhetoric, from one point to another

3. a rare word for metabolism

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metastasis Scientific  

/ mə-tăs′tə-sĭs /

1. A cancerous tumor formed by transmission of malignant cells from a primary cancer located elsewhere in the body.

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Other Word Forms

• metastatic adjective
• metastatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of metastasis

First recorded in 1580–90, metastasis is from the Greek word metástasis “a changing”; meta-, stasis

Example Sentences

"These clones were then evaluated in vitro and in a mouse model to observe their ability to migrate through a real biological filter and generate metastases," adds Arwen Conod.

From Science Daily

The strategy may also help prevent metastasis, a crucial stage in cancer progression.

From Science Daily

This process ultimately reduced tumor growth and limited metastasis in the mice.

From Science Daily

One triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transition, an essential step in cancer progression and metastasis.

From Science Daily

Three weeks later, she learnt she actually had stage three cancer with limited metastases.

From Barron's

Related Words

• changeover
• conversion
• development
• evolution
• growth
• passage
• progress
• progression
• shift
• transformation
• upheaval