Final answer:
The pathways of metastatic spread are hematogenous, transcoelomic, and lymphatic, with each pathway involving the dissemination of cancer cells to distant organs or tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pathways of metastatic spread are hematogenous, transcoelomic, and lymphatic. Hematogenous spread involves cancer cells traveling through the bloodstream to distant sites, such as the brain, lungs, bones, or liver, where they form new cancers known as metastases. Transcoelomic spread occurs when cancer cells invade natural body cavities, such as the abdominal cavity, leading to the development of metastases on the lining of these cavities. Lastly, the lymphatic spread involves cancer cells infiltrating the lymphatic system and spreading to regional lymph nodes. Different types of cancers tend to metastasize to specific organs or sites within the body.