What Is It Called When Cancer Cells Spread to Other Parts of the Body?
What Is Metastatic Cancer?
Cancer that spreads from where it started to a distant function of the body is called metastatic cancer. For many types of cancer, it is likewise called stage Iv (4) cancer. The process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis.
When observed under a microscope and tested in other ways, metastatic cancer cells have features like that of the principal cancer and non like the cells in the place where the metastatic cancer is found. This is how doctors can tell that it is cancer that has spread from some other part of the body.
Metastatic cancer has the aforementioned proper name as the primary cancer. For example, chest cancer that spreads to the lung is chosen metastatic chest cancer, not lung cancer. Information technology is treated as stage 4 breast cancer, non equally lung cancer.
Sometimes when people are diagnosed with metastatic cancer, doctors cannot tell where information technology started. This type of cancer is chosen cancer of unknown primary origin, or Cup. See the Carcinoma of Unknown Principal page for more information.
How Cancer Spreads
Metastasis: How Cancer Spreads
During metastasis, cancer cells spread from the place in the body where they first formed to other parts of the body.
Cancer cells spread through the body in a series of steps. These steps include:
- growing into, or invading, nearby normal tissue
- moving through the walls of nearby lymph nodes or blood vessels
- traveling through the lymphatic arrangement and bloodstream to other parts of the trunk
- stopping in small claret vessels at a afar location, invading the claret vessel walls, and moving into the surrounding tissue
- growing in this tissue until a tiny tumor forms
- causing new blood vessels to grow, which creates a blood supply that allows the metastatic tumor to continue growing
Most of the time, spreading cancer cells die at some indicate in this process. But, every bit long as atmospheric condition are favorable for the cancer cells at every stride, some of them are able to course new tumors in other parts of the body. Metastatic cancer cells can also remain inactive at a distant site for many years before they brainstorm to grow again, if at all.
Where Cancer Spreads
Cancer can spread to nigh whatever part of the body, although different types of cancer are more probable to spread to certain areas than others. The nearly common sites where cancer spreads are bone, liver, and lung. The post-obit listing shows the near common sites of metastasis, not including the lymph nodes, for some common cancers:
| Cancer Type | Primary Sites of Metastasis |
|---|---|
| Bladder | Os, liver, lung |
| Breast | Bone, brain, liver, lung |
| Colon | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Kidney | Adrenal gland, os, brain, liver, lung |
| Lung | Adrenal gland, bone, encephalon, liver, other lung |
| Melanoma | Os, brain, liver, lung, peel, muscle |
| Ovary | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Pancreas | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Prostate | Adrenal gland, bone, liver, lung |
| Rectal | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Stomach | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Thyroid | Bone, liver, lung |
| Uterus | Bone, liver, lung, peritoneum, vagina |
Symptoms of Metastatic Cancer
Metastatic cancer does not e'er crusade symptoms. When symptoms exercise occur, what they are similar and how frequently yous take them will depend on the size and location of the metastatic tumors. Some common signs of metastatic cancer include:
- pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the os
- headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the encephalon
- shortness of jiff, when cancer has spread to the lung
- jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver
Handling for Metastatic Cancer
There are treatments for most types of metastatic cancer. Oftentimes, the goal of treating metastatic cancer is to control information technology by stopping or slowing its growth. Some people can live for years with metastatic cancer that is well controlled. Other treatments may meliorate the quality of life by relieving symptoms. This type of care is called palliative care. It can be given at whatsoever point during handling for cancer.
The handling that you may have depends on your blazon of primary cancer, where it has spread, treatments y'all've had in the by, and your general health. To larn about treatment options, including clinical trials, find your type of cancer amid the PDQ® Cancer Information Summaries for Adult Handling and Pediatric Treatment.
When Metastatic Cancer Can No Longer Be Controlled
If you take been told your cancer can no longer exist controlled, you and your loved ones may want to talk over end-of-life intendance. Whether or non y'all choose to continue handling to shrink the cancer or command its growth, you can always receive palliative care to control the symptoms of cancer and the side furnishings of handling. Information on coping with and planning for end-of-life care is available in the Advanced Cancer section of this site.
Ongoing Research
Researchers are studying new means to kill or stop the growth of primary and metastatic cancer cells. These ways include:
- helping your allowed system fight cancer
- disrupting the steps in the process that allow the cancer cells to spread
- targeting specific genetic changes in tumors
Visit the Metastatic Cancer Inquiry folio on this site to stay informed of ongoing inquiry funded past NCI.
Source: https://www.cancer.gov/types/metastatic-cancer
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