A cancer is said to have metastasized once it expands its growth to other tissues and organs in the body as a whole. It is a scare to patients because of the difficulty in controlling it once it leaves the primary site. With the intense cancer metastasis research going on in different laboratories globally, cancer management and outcomes are likely to improve a great deal.
Cancerous spread can be spread to other organs through blood vessels, the lymphatic system or direct encroachment on the immediate environment. Tumors tend to spread to organs such as the skeletal system, the lungs, the liver and the brain. Unfortunately, the survival of the patient is greatly threatened once these organs are affected since they play a crucial role in the day to day functioning of the human body.
A person who already has cancer and develops a persistent cough or breathlessness may be suspected to have metastasis to the lungs. Spread to the bones typically manifests with frequent fractures with very minimal trauma causing the fracture. Involvement of the brain may be indicated by convulsions, headache, dizziness and so on. Of note and perhaps a fortunate fact is that these symptoms do not always spell metastasis and could just be a different illness altogether.
While it is much easier to treat tumor cells limited to one spot, it is almost impossible to completely get rid of those that have set camp in multiple areas in the body. The surgeon cannot go about excising every swelling they find on and in the body as these can cause deformity and can also compromise functionality. The mainstay of treatment in metastatic cancer is chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The goal is mainly to stop the cells from multiplying further.
It is important for family and friends to walk the journey through chemotherapy together with the patient. This is because of the toll the drugs take on them. One of the most marked adverse effect of the drugs is the fact they are known to cause severe shedding of hair. For someone whose hair means the world to them, the thought of losing it literally sickens them.
Taking the above into account, research studies grapple with the challenge of producing an agent that will only act on the abnormal cells. One study has come very close to achieving this goal. In this study, the most immediate cells surrounding the metastatic lesion are injected with a special chemical agent whose purpose is to influence the size of the lesion.
In the experiment, the abnormal cells in mice were successfully destroyed. All that is now left is for this concept to be tried and tested in clinical trials. The formulation will go on to save a lot of patients if it shows proof of functionality.
Some research studies focus on genetic mutation of cancer cells as they grow and their response to treatment. In these studies, the core of the cell, also known as DNA is extracted from the normal and abnormal cell. Their characteristics are then evaluated in a special laboratory. This is done for different cancers and it can help identify which ones are inherited and which are not. By so doing, the results obtained help the future generation to be better prepared in terms of early detection through screening.
Cancerous spread can be spread to other organs through blood vessels, the lymphatic system or direct encroachment on the immediate environment. Tumors tend to spread to organs such as the skeletal system, the lungs, the liver and the brain. Unfortunately, the survival of the patient is greatly threatened once these organs are affected since they play a crucial role in the day to day functioning of the human body.
A person who already has cancer and develops a persistent cough or breathlessness may be suspected to have metastasis to the lungs. Spread to the bones typically manifests with frequent fractures with very minimal trauma causing the fracture. Involvement of the brain may be indicated by convulsions, headache, dizziness and so on. Of note and perhaps a fortunate fact is that these symptoms do not always spell metastasis and could just be a different illness altogether.
While it is much easier to treat tumor cells limited to one spot, it is almost impossible to completely get rid of those that have set camp in multiple areas in the body. The surgeon cannot go about excising every swelling they find on and in the body as these can cause deformity and can also compromise functionality. The mainstay of treatment in metastatic cancer is chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The goal is mainly to stop the cells from multiplying further.
It is important for family and friends to walk the journey through chemotherapy together with the patient. This is because of the toll the drugs take on them. One of the most marked adverse effect of the drugs is the fact they are known to cause severe shedding of hair. For someone whose hair means the world to them, the thought of losing it literally sickens them.
Taking the above into account, research studies grapple with the challenge of producing an agent that will only act on the abnormal cells. One study has come very close to achieving this goal. In this study, the most immediate cells surrounding the metastatic lesion are injected with a special chemical agent whose purpose is to influence the size of the lesion.
In the experiment, the abnormal cells in mice were successfully destroyed. All that is now left is for this concept to be tried and tested in clinical trials. The formulation will go on to save a lot of patients if it shows proof of functionality.
Some research studies focus on genetic mutation of cancer cells as they grow and their response to treatment. In these studies, the core of the cell, also known as DNA is extracted from the normal and abnormal cell. Their characteristics are then evaluated in a special laboratory. This is done for different cancers and it can help identify which ones are inherited and which are not. By so doing, the results obtained help the future generation to be better prepared in terms of early detection through screening.
About the Author:
Discover the latest cancer metastasis research by visiting our official website today. To know more about our scientific advisory board, use the links at http://www.cytocapsula.com/about-cytocapsula right now.