Metastatic Cancer: How Cancer Spreads

Unfortunately, there is no 100 percent guaranteed way to prevent metastasis. One step you can take to reduce your risk is being vigilant about cancer screenings, including colonoscopies for colon cancer, mammograms for breast cancer and regular skin checks for melanoma. The earlier the cancer is caught and addressed, the less likely it is that it will have had time to spread. Making healthy lifestyle choices — like not smoking, using sunscreen regularly, limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising, limiting red meat and processed foods and getting the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine — are all ways to reduce your primary cancer risk. Some research suggests that taking a daily aspirin (brand names Ecotrin and Fasprin) may reduce pancreatic cancer risk. Do not make changes to your daily medications without the approval of your doctor.