Which statement about metastasis sites is true?

• A. Liver is a frequent site of metastasis
• B. Metastasis cannot occur through the bloodstream
• C. Lymph nodes are never involved in metastasis
• D. Metastasis never involves the liver

Answer: (A)

Metastasis commonly spreads through both the bloodstream and the lymphatic system, and certain organs are frequent targets. The liver is one of the most common destinations because it filters blood from the digestive tract through the portal vein, so circulating tumor cells from GI and related cancers often lodge in hepatic tissue. The liver’s rich blood supply and permissive microenvironment help these cells grow into metastases, which is why the statement about the liver being a frequent site of metastasis is true. It’s also important to recognize that metastasis can and does occur via the bloodstream, so the idea that it cannot spread through blood is incorrect. Lymph nodes are frequently involved as cancer cells travel through lymphatic channels to regional nodes, making the notion that lymph nodes are never involved false. And saying metastasis never involves the liver contradicts this common pattern of spread.