Stage 4 cancer that has mets to brain, lungs, adrenal gland and now liver, cause bowels to shut down? if so what are the signs that it is happening?

Constipation: Could result from pain medications -opiods .Bowl obstruction could result from bulky tumors in the GI tract or compressing the bowl. Usual symptoms include abdominal pain, distension, emesis, constipation and watery stool leakage.

It depends on so man: Bowel obstruction can occur in any advanced abdominal cancer. If the bowels are compromised by tumor they can close/obstruct. It is not difficult to tell when that happens because no food will pass through them. As a result patients become constipated/obstipated and have increasing pain in the abdomen and are unable to eat and drink due to persistent nausea and vomiting. The belly swells up also.