Doctor of Medical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chief Physician of the Lapino-2 Cancer Center Mikhail Davydov told Izvestia about what metastases are and why they are dangerous.
As the doctor explained, metastases are cells that separate from the maternal malignant tumor and spread throughout the body with the bloodstream or lymph.
A malignant tumor can metastasize to any organ throughout the body, but most often metastases occur in the liver, lungs, lymph nodes, adrenal glands, skeletal system and muscle tissues, brain and pancreas.
According to Davydov, theoretically, any tumor can metastasize to any organ.
“However, based on experience, we can say that most often metastases are in the liver and lungs, and, for example, breast or prostate cancer most often spreads to the bones, stomach cancer to the peritoneum, melanoma to the muscles” , he clarified.
Metastases appear as a result of the growth of tumor tissue. When the cells are actively dividing, pieces are “torn off” from them and carried throughout the body with the bloodstream or through the lymphatic system. Naturally, the older the tumor, the more metastases it can give.
For some time, metastases may be inactive, that is, they do not harm the body, but at some point they are activated and a new tumor begins to grow. “Activation” of metastasis can contribute to stress, reduced immunity, exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Usually metastases appear at the 3-4th stage of the oncological disease. It is believed that they are formed much earlier, but for some time the body can fight them on its own.
“Depending on where they go, metastases cause pain and disruption of this organ. For example, with metastases in the spine, the patient suffers from pain and bone fragility. If foci are found there, the patient is recommended to do vertebroplasty, it is also called spinal cementing, this will prevent fractures and relieve pain. If metastases appear in the brain, the patient may be tormented by headaches and convulsions, in the lungs – shortness of breath, coughing, bleeding, in the peritoneum – loss of appetite, pain, weakness, ”Davydov explained.
In December 2021, a study was published according to which cough is the most common sign of lung cancer. It can be observed constantly, become painful or change the “sound”. In addition, there may be blood with sputum, which also indicates lung infections.
Scientists have named other symptoms that may indicate lung cancer, among them – sudden onset of shortness of breath, pain in the chest or shoulder, loss of appetite, constant fatigue and weight loss.
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