What is "metastases"

Metastasis \Me*tas"ta*sis\, n.; pl. Metastases. [L., transition, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to place in another way; ? after + ? to place.]

1. (Theol.) A spiritual change, as during baptism.

2. (Med.) A change in the location of a disease, as from one part to another.
   --Dunglison.

3. Especially: The migration of cancerous or malignant cells from the site of their origin to other parts of the body. Such cells may migrate to multiple new locations, making therapy more difficult and often leading to death.

4. (Physiol.) The act or process by which matter is taken up by cells or tissues and is transformed into other matter; in plants, the act or process by which are produced all of those chemical changes in the constituents of the plant which are not accompanied by a production of organic matter; metabolism.

n. (context medicine English) (plural of metastasis English)

1. n. the spreading of a disease to another part of the body

2. the organic processes (in a cell or organism) that are necessary for life [syn: metabolism, metabolic process]

3. [also: metastases (pl)]

See metastasis

Metastases is a 2009 Croatian crime drama film about some of the most common problems in post- war Croatia, including football hooliganism, drug addiction and alcoholism. It was directed by Branko Schmidt.