Cancer Metastasis Research Tells Us A Lot About How Cancerous Cells Work

By Timothy Stevens


Cancer is a scary diagnosis. When patients hear the bad news that the disease is spreading, or metastasizing, most understand their time may be limited. Researchers know a lot about what cancerous cells can do, and they are learning more every day. Cancer metastasis research has a long way to go though. Discovering how to contain the cells and destroy them before they can move is still in the future.

The thing that makes this disease so serious is the ability of the diseased cells to move from place to place. They are not predictable either. Cells can move within the local area, fan out regionally, or travel to far parts of the body. They do this using the lymph nodes and bloodstream. When cells move into other areas cancers become stage four. These don't become new cancers. They are the metastasized result of the primary cancer.

Cancerous cells spread in a variety of ways. They may grow into, or attack normal tissue that is nearby. Cells may travel through the bloodstream to get to other parts of the body. The cells can stop anywhere in the blood vessels, invade the walls, and grow into small tumors. This creates new blood vessels and a blood supply that makes its possible for the new tumors to keep growing.

Cells can go anywhere, but there are certain organs that seem to attract specific cancerous cells. The lungs, liver, and bones are the most likely to be affected when cancers metastasize. The brain, liver, and lungs are the organs breast cancers usually move to. The adrenal glands can be infected by kidney cancers. Melanoma usually travels to the skin, brain, bones, lungs, muscles, and liver.

There are certain signs and symptoms that indicate cancerous cells have metastasized. If you suddenly have shortness of breath, the cells may have traveled to a person's lungs. Fractures indicate the disease has infected the bones. When the cells spread to the brain, people can experience dizziness, seizures, and headaches.

When diseased cells start traveling, it is hard to control them. Treatment will vary according to the primary cancer, the treatments a patient has already had, and the physical health of a patient. Doctors try to contain the cells and slow their growth. Relieving the symptoms is a primary concern. If the treatments are successful, the patient's life can be prolonged.

Sometimes the treatments fail and doctors have to tell patients that the cells are out of control. At this point, the patient can choose to do several things. The treatments can be continued in the hope that cells will stop traveling and tumors will shrink. Palliative care is an option that will relieve side effects and reduce the discomfort of symptoms.

This is the time to make end of life decisions, if that has not already been done. A diagnosis of metastasized cancer is hard to hear. It is one great reason everyone should live their lives as though each day is the last.




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