Final answer:
A biopsy for suspected metastatic cancer should target the most likely locations of metastasis, which depend on the type of primary cancer. Typical sites for metastases include the brain, lungs, bones, and liver.
Step-by-step explanation:
For a patient with suspected metastatic cancer, choosing the appropriate site for a biopsy (bx) is critical to confirm metastasis and guide treatment.
Metastasis occurs when cancer cells travel from a primary tumor through the bloodstream to form a new cancer at a distant site.
Cancers may metastasize to various organs, but there is a general pattern depending on the type of primary cancer.
For instance, metastasized breast cancer commonly grows in the bone, brain, and liver, while metastasized lung cancer often grows in the brain, bone, and adrenal gland.
Therefore, when selecting a biopsy site, clinicians consider the most likely locations of metastasis based on the primary cancer's origin.
A radioisotope scan can sometimes help locate cancer cells that have spread by attaching to specific cancer cells, revealing very dark spots in the scan where tumor cells exist.
Ultimately, the choice of biopsy site depends on the suspected primary cancer and the presence of symptoms or radiological evidence that suggests where metastases might have occurred.