We all have heard about how cancer spreads, but how does it spread to other parts of the body? Cancer spreads when cells from a primary tumor break away and travel to distant parts of the body, where they keep growing. This spread is called metastasis. Cancer spreads through our blood and lymph systems. It is rare for it to affect children. However, when a large group of children develops the same cancer, it is possible that cancer cells will travel to different parts of the body.
When a cancer cell travels from the tumor to distant tissues, it has to climb over other cells. To do so, it must attach to the extracellular matrix. Then it must extend its part forward, and then let go at the back end. This process is repeated over until the cancer cell hits a blockage. This blockage typically is a layer of proteins and glycoproteins called basal lamina. To overcome this barrier, cancer cells secrete digestive enzymes to break down the basal lamina.
Researchers have discovered that cancer cells can spread from the original tumor much earlier than previously believed. This is because cancer cells can form potentially lethal metastases even before they reach the primary tumor. Researchers say this discovery offers the first molecular explanation for early spread. Although early detection is crucial, this treatment method often fails to save lives. Often, patients are diagnosed with cancer too late to stop it from spreading. This makes it all the more important to prevent cancer deaths.
While most cancers are named after the organ in which they first developed, cancer cells can travel anywhere in the body. For instance, bowel cancer with liver metastases is not called liver cancer because the liver-related tumors contain cancerous cells. These cells need to break away from the original cancer cell. As a result, cancer cells do not adhere to each other like normal cells do, making them prone to spreading. They may also produce substances that cause them to break loose and move from their original location.
As most cancers are able to spread, doctors have devised staging systems to describe their progression. These classifications are given in Roman numerals and can give a general idea of how the cancer is progressing. In general, cancer can spread to any part of the body, but the most common places are the lymph nodes, bones, liver, lungs, and brain. A person who has metastases in any of these locations will have pain or difficulty breathing.
Treatments for metastatic cancer vary, but often depend on where the tumor has spread. Surgery, for instance, is an option for patients with primary cancer. Other methods include targeted therapy and hormone therapy. The aim of targeted therapy is to destroy cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. This type of therapy targets specific proteins on cancer cells. Cancer treatments will vary depending on where the cancer has spread, but often the cancer cells are still present and able to survive.
