How does ampullary cancer spread?

How does ampullary cancer spread?

When ampullary cancer metastasizes, it usually spreads to the liver, lymph nodes, lungs, peritoneum (abdominal lining) and other organs. To better understand the process of metastasis, the stages of ampullary cancer are listed below:

• Stage 1: The cancer is only in the inner layer of your small intestine, and has not spread to nearby areas.
• Stage 2: The tumor has spread to the middle layer of your small intestine. The cancer may have also spread to the sphincter of Oddi — a muscular ring around the ampulla of Vater.
• Stage 3: The cancer has spread to the outer wall of your small intestine.
• Stage 4: The cancer has spread to other areas of your body. This may include lymph nodes or organs such as the liver or pancreas.