In this era of talking about cancer, what people are most afraid of is finding that there is cancer in the body during the physical examination. The appearance of cancer often affects the health of the body and even threatens the life of the patient. Whenever a patient with a suspected tumor comes to the clinic, the doctor first confirms the diagnosis through various tests. The last thing they want is for patients whose tumors have metastasized, especially those with young tumors. Because tumors that have not metastasized are not terrible, the chances are relatively high. For example, ** cancer, the metastasis rate after surgery is very low. Another example is thyroid cancer, and there will be no more problems after surgery. But if it is a tumor that has metastasized, it is very tricky.
1.How do cancer cells successfully metastasize?
The genes that allow tumor cells to be free from their original location to the distal end are innate endowments within every cell. The metastasis of cancer is not an easy thing for cancer cells, it needs to pass layers of tests, just like Tang monks learn scriptures from the West, only after experiencing nine hundred and eighty-one difficulties, can there be a chance of successful metastasis. First, cancer cells break away from the primary tissue, invade and travel through surrounding tissues, through the walls of a blood vessel or lymphatic vein, and survive the movement toward the bloodstream or lymph. Secondly, in the process of transportation, it is not all smooth sailing, for example, cancer cells will bind to cells in the lymphatic system or blood system, but these cells are usually relatively large, often damaged or stuck, and eventually lead to apoptosis of cancer cells. Cancer cells are like people to be smuggled in, they can be discovered by immune cells at any time, and once they are discovered, they are not repatriated, but directly destroyed. Finally, the cancer cells also need to land safely, and after landing downstream, they "take root" in a new location, attract blood vessels to provide nutrients, and settle down in unfamiliar cells. So if you think about it carefully, cancer cells have gone through some experience along the way, and finally successfully metastasized. Very few cancer cells have all of these abilities, and most cancer cells die when they are free in the body. Even after they have managed to settle in a new position, they tend to remain inactive for many years, only to reactivate when they are awakened again.
2.What are the pathways through which cancer cells metastasize?
The cancer cells leave the base camp and go to a suitable place for them to live, where they set up camp and continue to multiply. There are four main ways of transfer:
Lymphatic metastases. The most common way to metastasize cancer is through lymphatic vessels, between organs and tissues. The lymphatic system is located throughout the body and is an important immune defense system of the human body, which can logically destroy cancer cells. However, cancer cells can escape the tracking of the immune system by constantly mutating, and even make the lymphatic system their own"****For example, breast cancer can metastasize to axillary lymph nodes, subclavian lymph nodes, etc., which may cause swollen and hard lymph nodes.
Hematogenous metastases. When cancer cells progress to a certain level, they break off, pass through the walls of surrounding blood vessels, and infiltrate blood vessels, a process known as endosmosis. After cancer cells enter the bloodstream, they can travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body and then take root in certain tissues or organs through extravasation. In general, organs or tissues with abundant blood supply are more likely to have hematogenous metastases, such as liver, lungs, bones, brain, etc.
Planting transfers. Cancer cells continue to develop, break through the serous layer and fall off, like dandelion seeds, through the peritoneum, pleura, pericardium, or subarachnoid space, to body cavities, and to implant on the surface of other tissues or organs. For example, after stomach cancer cells fall off, they may be planted in any part of the abdominal cavity, such as omentum, peritoneum, mesentery, small intestine, ovaries, etc.
Direct violation. For example, a direct invasion of a tumor is like a fruit mold, which can affect neighboring fruits, causing these fruits to become moldy one after another. For example, rectal cancer can invade the nearby bladder, urethra, levator ani muscle, or in women's **, uterus, and men's prostate, resulting in secondary tumors in these areas.
3.Do cancer cells like to metastasize to?
Clinical studies have found that all kinds of cancers have their own metastatic tendency, that is, each cancer has its own place of love. Real-life life also confirms this phenomenon, almost every cancer has its own specific metastasis site. For example, breast cancer is prone to liver, lung, bone, and brain metastases; Lung cancer is prone to brain, liver, adrenal and bone metastases; Gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers can metastasize to the liver and lungs; Prostate cancer is prone to bone metastases; Ovarian cancer is prone to peritoneal, liver, and lung metastases; The most common metastatic sites of liver cancer are lungs, lymph nodes, bones, adrenal glands, etc. But why is that?
So far, it's not entirely clear in medicine, but there are a lot of different doctrines. There is a saying called the "seed soil theory", which means that the seed is suitable for growing in this soil, and plants in the south will not grow well in the soil of the north, but they can grow vigorously in the south. The same is true for metastasis. Specifically, the reason why colorectal cancer is prone to liver metastasis is because the first stop of blood circulation in the large intestine is the liver, so tumor cells are easy to be trapped in the liver to grow and multiply.
4.What are the signs of cancer metastasis?
When there is a disease in a certain part of the human body, when the tumor has not yet grown, there will be no obvious abnormalities in the human body. However, as cancer cells grow and spread, the organs around the lesion site may also be invaded by cancer cells. At this time, the body will also show some signs:
Unexplained loss of appetite and weight loss. The tumor cells release a substance that affects the patient's appetite. Therefore, when the patient has a stable condition, the loss of appetite and weight loss is likely to be a sign of tumor metastasis!
Unexplained recurrent low-grade fever. Cancer patients often develop cancerous fever when the disease progresses to an advanced stage. Therefore, once a cancer patient has a long-term recurrent low-grade fever, it may be caused by tumor deterioration, and tumor metastasis needs to be vigilant.
An unexplained lump on the body. Generally speaking, the tumor grows in the patient's body, which is difficult to be effectively judged through external observation, but there are also some cancers that will affect the body and produce some lumps on the surface after it has deteriorated, such as lung cancer and stomach cancer, which also indicates the possibility of tumor metastasis, so it is necessary to deal with it in time.
The patient's pre-existing symptoms worsen. After the intervention of cancer patients, the patient's condition will gradually stabilize, and if the patient's own symptoms continue to worsen, it is dangerous, and it is likely to be caused by tumor metastasis.
Tumor markers rise. When patients with early-stage cancer find that their tumor markers continue to rise, even if there are no obvious symptoms, it is important to pay attention to it, because it is likely to be caused by tumor metastasis!
5.How can cancer metastasis be prevented?
Cancer, as we all know, is a terrible disease, and the most serious result is the death of the patient. For people who do not have cancer, we can prevent cancer by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and for those who already have cancer, preventing the spread of cancer means gaining the opportunity to control cancer. Let's take a look at how to prevent cancer from metastasizing.
Early detection of cancer spread. The location and signs of cancer metastasis should be identified as early as possible, and the earlier it is detected, the better it will be for the disease.
Don't trust non-scientific methods. Nowadays, there are many people who take advantage of the patient's eagerness to deceive the patient, and deceive the patient under the guise of a miracle drug. Once a patient is diagnosed with cancer, the most reliable thing is the best plan given by the doctor, not pseudoscience.
Patients with first-time cancer success should pay attention to follow-up examinations and regular follow-ups. Cancer is very likely to develop after the initial cure, especially within five years. After the success of the cancer, it is necessary to visit back in time to prevent the symptoms of cancer cells and spread.
Patients with tumors should try to avoid external stimulation of the tumor if the tumor is confirmed to be malignant. Because local stimulation can affect the spread and metastasis of cancer, especially touching, squeezing and other actions, to avoid promoting the shedding of cancer cells and leading to the accelerated spread and metastasis of cancer.
Keep a good mood. It is also important to learn to adjust the mentality, because long-term unstable emotions can easily affect the endocrine and regulate immune function in the patient's body, thereby accelerating the growth rate of cancer cells. On the contrary, the happiness factor in the human body can effectively kill cancer cells and reduce the chance of cancer metastasis.
Pay attention to strengthening the patient's body's immunity. Boosting the body's immunity is the most important and most effective measure to avoid cancer metastasis. Because only when the body's immune surveillance function is normal, the body can best play the function of eliminating cancer cells, so as to avoid the generation of metastatic lesions and the spread and metastasis of cancer cells.
Through the efforts of countless scientists, although cancer is still the great enemy of mankind, we are no longer helpless, as long as we can do a good job in preventing tumor metastasis in the early stage of cancer, many cancer patients can still recover their health. Even if the cancer has metastasized, we still let it survive for a long time through scientific research. In fact, cancer metastasis is also very difficult, don't use your "accident" to force cancer metastasis! Therefore, cancer patients must learn more about the medical knowledge of cancer, and strive to strangle the possibility of cancer metastasis in the cradle!