Some patients will have metastatic disease on initial presentation. Others may present with symptoms of recurrent disease after a previous cancer diagnosis. Most patients with recurrent disease will usually present with symptoms. A small percentage of cases will be detected by routine follow-up. Access to the best available therapies, including clinical trials, as well as treatment overseen by a multidisciplinary team, are crucial to achieving the best outcomes for anyone with metastatic disease.

Signs and symptoms will depend on the type of cancer initially diagnosed and the location of metastatic disease. Symptoms can often present as described in section 2.1.