Carcinomatosis or carcinosis isn’t a type of cancer. It’s a rare condition that means cancer in one part of your body has spread, creating several tumors in another part of your body. Sometimes, carcinomatosis is the first indication you have cancer. But usually, carcinomatosis happens when you’ve been dealing with cancer for some time.
Carcinomatosis isn’t a type of cancer. It’s a rare condition that means cancer in one part of your body has spread, blanketing another part of your body with several new tumors. Sometimes, carcinomatosis (car-see-no-MA-toe-sis) is the first indication you have cancer. But carcinomatosis usually happens when you’ve been dealing with cancer for some time. Unfortunately, carcinomatosis is a sign your cancer is getting worse and can’t be cured. Healthcare providers may recommend treatment that eases your symptoms and gives you as much time as possible to be with your loved ones.
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There are three common forms of carcinomatosis that affect different parts of your body in different ways. Those forms are:
The terms carcinomatosis and metastatic cancer both refer to cancer that’s spread from its original site in your body to other parts of your body. Generally speaking, metastatic cancer involves cancer that spreads into tissue that surrounds the original tumor or to more distant parts of your body. Carcinomatosis happens when your original cancer spreads, scattering several tumors in a widespread area of your body.
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Carcinomatosis symptoms vary based on where your cancer has spread. For example, peritoneal carcinomatosis, which affects the lining of your abdomen, has different symptoms from pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomas, which affect your lungs.
If your cancer has spread to the lining of your brain and spinal cord, you may have the following symptoms:
Most people who have pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis have dyspnea — extreme difficulty breathing — that’s getting worse over a few days or a week. Other symptoms are:
You can have peritoneal carcinomatosis without developing new symptoms. In some cases, however, peritoneal carcinomatosis can cause the following:
If you have carcinomatosis, you’ve already been coping with cancer. That’s why healthcare providers may weigh the benefit of doing tests to confirm you have carcinomatosis against the physical discomfort you might have during them.
Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis affects the membrane that covers your brain and spinal cord. Healthcare providers might use the following tests to diagnose leptomeningeal carcinomatosis:
Pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis affects the lymphatic system in your lungs. Healthcare providers may use the following tests to diagnose this form of carcinomatosis:
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In most cases, carcinomatosis is a sign you have cancer that’s spread throughout your body and can’t be cured. Your healthcare provider will keep that in mind when recommending treatments. In some cases, your healthcare provider might recommend palliative care or talk to you about hospice care.
Palliative care helps people being treated for serious illnesses, providing support to ease symptoms and treatment side effects.
Healthcare providers may recommend the following treatments for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis:
Pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis treatment typically combines treatments that target your original cancer and treatments to keep you comfortable such as antibiotics, oxygen and steroids. Other treatments might include:
Healthcare providers might recommend hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for people whose peritoneal carcinomatosis is diagnosed early. To use HIPEC, providers circulate heated chemotherapy drugs through your abdominal cavity.
If you have a form of carcinomatosis, it means you have cancer that’s spread from its original location to another and blanketing the area with new tumors. You can’t prevent carcinomatosis. But you can take steps to catch it early so it can be treated. If you’re being treated for cancer, talk to your healthcare provider about carcinomatosis symptoms so you’ll know what to look for.
Unfortunately, there aren’t cures for carcinomatosis conditions. On average, people with carcinomatosis are alive a few months to three years after diagnosis.
There are still things you can do to have quality of life if your cancer can’t be cured:
While there isn’t a cure for carcinomatosis, there are things you can do to maintain quality of life:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
For many people, carcinomatosis marks the final steps in their cancer journey. For others, being diagnosed with carcinomatosis is their first notice they’ve had cancer. Unfortunately, being diagnosed with carcinomatosis means your cancer can’t be cured. There is, however, hope for living well with cancer for as long as you’re able. There’re treatments to ease your symptoms — and, in some cases — give you a bit more time. If you have carcinomatosis, your healthcare provider can talk to you about treatments and programs to help you make the most of your health and your time.
Last reviewed on 12/02/2021.
Learn more about the Health Library and our editorial process.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy