Brandon, in my husband's case, the microscopic cancer cells went straight to his lungs and the doctors found five or six lesions. It did not take a year or two, it took all of six months when they became visible on the CT scan. Prior to that, it could be they were there already but remained undetected because they were microscopic. When a patient has lung metastases, he is already in the palliative stage.
Timely action is extremely important in cancer treatment.

Gloria
She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails... Elizabeth Edwards

Wife to John,dx 10/2012, BOT, HPV+, T3N2MO, RAD 70 gy,Cisplatinx2 , PEG in Dec 6, 2012, dx dvt in both legs after second chemo session, Apr 03/13 NED, July 2013 met to lungs, Phase 1 immunotherapy trial Jan 18/14 to July/14. Taxol/carboplatin July/14. Esophagus re-opened Oct 14. PEG out April 8, 2015. Phase 2 trial of Selinexor April to July 2015. At peace Jan 15, 2016.