Diseases and Conditions
Bone metastasis
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping and support
Preparing for an appointment
Causes
Bone metastasis occurs when cancer cells break away from the original tumor and spread to the bones, where they begin to multiply.
Doctors aren't sure what causes some cancers to spread. And it's not clear why some cancers travel to the bones rather than to other common sites for metastasis, such as the liver.