Which cancer has the highest chance of metastasis?

Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, and not all types of cancers have an equal chance of spreading. The riskiest type of cancer when it comes to metastasis is sarcoma, a rare type that affects connective tissue such as muscle, fat, tendons and ligaments. According to a study published in World Journal of Surgical Oncology in 2014, over 64% of patients with sarcomas had metastatic sites distant from the primary tumor.

In comparison, lung cancer has one of the highest rates for metastasis at 38%. By contrast, some cancers are more localized and rarely metastasize; for instance only about 10-20% percent prostate cancers will eventually spread beyond the prostate gland itself. In addition to sarcoma and lung cancer, melanoma also has a relatively high rate (30%) when it comes to spreading beyond its original site. Other forms commonly known for their tendency towards metastasis include colorectal cancer (20-30%), breast cancer (26-27%), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (25–35%), kidney/renal cell carcinoma (10–55%). Lastly non small cell pancreas cancers can also spread widely throughout other organs including liver or lungs but this depends on how early they are detected according to National Cancer Institute's SEER database (Surveillance Epidemiology End Results).