cancer called the king of diseases.By the number of deaths, he took 2nd place in the world statistics.People are afraid of the diagnosis "cancer", despair at the word "metastasis."But not all that bad.Modern medicine has long denied the opinion of an incurable disease.What is a "cancer" and that such metastases in cancer?Let's deal.
Cancer - a malignant tumor?
part of every cancer believe cancer.This name is entered in the Hippocratic medicine, which the tumor appearance reminded crab ("karkinos" in Greek).Hence carcinoma or cancer.To understand what a metastasis in cancer, try to explain simply and that is cancer.
Imagine that in your body from the evil of a common good cells suddenly become a monster that has a round, rather than elongated body, several nuclei and a number of other mutations.This monster began uncontrollably share, is producing their own kind of monsters.So I get the primary tumor.Good cell contact with neighbors and "seeing" that the place is small, stop dividing.This is called contact inhibition.Our monster will not react.It produces offspring pressure on its neighbors, causing negative changes in them.Moreover, the monster has become almost immortal, as programmed by nature dying cells (or apoptosis), he now expressed very poorly.For their future growth monsters stimulate cells in the development of new tumor blood vessels and to protect themselves produce specific toxins which inhibit the body's existing anti-tumor immunity.They also know how to deceive and elude immunokontrol T-killer cells.
What is "metastasis"?
tumor-clear.It remains to add that cell monsters may appear in the body anywhere, in any organ.They do not spare either children or adults, but more common in those over 50. We will try to understand what cancer metastasis.The family of monsters grows and spreads slowly penetrating into adjacent organs (regional metastases).Moreover, they need to take over the body, which mutant cells break away from its parent education into the blood and / or lymph and with their current carried by the patient's body (distant metastases).
In the first case they are called hematogenous and lymphatic second.The new cell-site mutants are fixed, and everything is repeated.This process is called metastasis in medicine.Some experts believe that it begins immediately after the occurrence of the primary tumor, the other - only after the transition of the disease in the later stages.Still others believe that metastasis begins immediately, but does not always immediately develop.This is the so-called dormant metastases, which affects the appearance of partial Cancer treatment.
stages of cancer
uniform classification stages of cancer there, but most experts adheres to the system TNM.There are distinguished stage:
- That - a tumor on clinical examination is not yet determined.
- Tis - without metastases, that is sitting on the ground.
- T1 - virtually the same as the previous step.At this stage, treatment is usually successful.The only problem - the first stage of the cancer can be detected only by chance or special surveys.
- T2 - the cancer had metastasized, but it is regional.The forecast here is quite favorable, although more complicated.
- T3 - not much different from T2.Some experts believe, at this stage, except for the regional unit are remote metastases.Symptoms of the 3rd stage can be blurred, and the pain absent, making it difficult to diagnose.Generally, stage 3 cancer, like any other, is determined arbitrarily.For every body here has its own criteria and its own clinical picture.
- T4 - the last stage in which the metastases spread like the neighboring, and organ removal.Patients thus experiencing severe pain, weakness, lose weight.As a rule, death causes cancer metastasis 4 degrees.How many live these patients, it is impossible to accurately answer.The photo posted below shows the tumor markers of metastasis.
metastasized
have metastases has its own graduation, denoted by the letter M into account here are accepted only remote education.
- Mx - known metastases, since studies have not been conducted;
- Mo - distant tumor formation is not found;
- M1 - detected the presence of distant metastases.
Thus, the term "metastasis 4 degrees" refers to the 4th degree cancer.
Arise these secondary tumor formation can be absolutely anywhere in the body, but most often affects the liver, brain, lungs, bone tissue and fatty tissue.In gastric cancer, ovarian, pancreatic, bowel and uterine metastases are also possible in the peritoneum.
What is the main danger of cancer?
answer to the question of what a metastasis in cancer, will not be complete if you do not say that is not so much the primary tumor is dangerous lethal as its regional and especially remote secondary foci.This condition is called metastatic cancer.It usually manifests considerable pain, which is often the main cause of the patient's hike to the doctor.This cancer is dangerous, mainly because of the difficulty of identifying the localization of metastases, leading to incomplete treatment by surgery and radiotherapy.Only chemotherapy (use of drugs), and hormone-immunotherapy with metastases affect all right, but unfortunately, this treatment often is not enough.
Forecasts
They directly depend on the organ in which metastases.How to live to the patient, also it depends on the overall condition of the body, on the location and stage of initial tumor treatment, which can be carried out.If you do nothing, man's life is calculated in months, from 1 to 6. If you make every effort to have a positive attitude and a strong desire to defeat the disease, life expectancy is increasing significantly.Thus, in multidimensional treating lung metastasis patients live to 10 years, and in the liver - up to 5 years.Most unseemly considered metastasis to the brain.This is due to the specificity of the organ and the difficulties in conducting many of the currently known methods of treatment.The most favorable prognosis of the disease - live about 2 years.This is possible during surgery followed by radiation therapy and complex.
possible to avoid cancer?
interested in this question, perhaps, everyone.Cancer Research Institute, Russia and other countries carried out thousands of studies to uncover the causes cell mutations.The main cancer-causing in any organ, scientists refer eating food containing carcinogens, any kind of radiation (radiation, ultraviolet light, and others), some viruses (eg, papilloma), genetic predisposition, frequent stress and unhealthy lifestyle.There are specific factors.So, it is noted that lung cancer is more common in smokers than non-smokers, and cancer of the liver and stomach - alcohol abuse.Therefore, excluding these factors are out of your life, we reduce the risk of disease.But even in the case of an unfavorable diagnosis can not give in to despair.Nowadays, even Stage 3 cancer is treated successfully.The main thing is not to be mistaken with the diagnosis.
Diagnostics
One of the unpleasant features of the cancer is in the early stages it is almost never show any symptoms.An exception is the cancer of the skin and other organs, in which tumor formation can be seen visually.Another feature is that the symptoms of cancer and other similar diseases.It:
- fatigue;
- weight loss;
- lack of appetite;
- suddenly appeared seals and swelling;
- excessive sweating;
- anemia.
If you have any of these symptoms should see a doctor, oncologist, who will conduct a clinical examination (palpation of the questionable areas, X-rays, medical history).For a more accurate diagnosis is desirable to get to the Cancer Center, where they perform a number of studies: x-rays, MRI, CT scan, endoscopy, blood tests and biochemical assays oncomarkers biopsy.
Symptoms of metastasis may be:
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- cough when metastasis of the lungs;
- enlarged liver;
- metastases in bone - pain in the limbs, frequent fractures;
- in the brain - a variety of neurological problems, blurred vision, coordination, hearing, speech, seizures.
diagnosis is the same as that of the primary tumor.
Treatment
Most cancer patients treated in the community.However, if it is possible, it is desirable to clarify the diagnosis to be examined in the federal cancer center, where there is the most modern equipment and high-level specialists work on the newest technologies.In Moscow, it is the Blokhin Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology Herzen.To get there can be any citizen of Russia, after taking direction from your doctor and make an appointment.In St. Petersburg, is the name of Petrov Research Institute of Oncology.
These centers carry out the surgical removal of the tumor, if possible, and perform the following types of therapy:
- radiotherapy (radiosurgery);
- chemotherapy;
- immune;
- gene (rather effective treatment by affecting the genetic apparatus of the patient).
