Source: Cancer Resource Room
What is
Metastatic Cancer?
A cancer is a group of
abnormal cells that grow and multiply
without stopping. These abnormal cells
can spread from one place in the body
to another. This is called metastatic
cancer.
For example, if some cells in the stomach
became cancer cells, they would grow and
make new cancer cells. These cells would
form a lump called a tumor. Some cells
from the tumor can be carried away in
the blood or lymph that flows through
the tumor. As the blood (or lymph) flows
from the tumor to other parts of the body,
the cancer cells go with it. Some cancer
cells flowing in the blood or lymph are
attacked by the body's immune or defense
system. These cells are destroyed and
eliminated from the body. But other cancer
cells get attached to cells in another
organ of the body and start another tumor.
These cancer cells started in the stomach.
They flowed with the blood to attach in
the liver, for example. Now the stomach
cancer cells grow and multiply in the
liver, and are called "stomach cancer
metastatic to the liver." This is
not liver cancer, it is stomach cancer
that spread (or metastasized) to the liver.
Cancer cells that metastasize attach to
cells in some organs more often than others.
It is common for cancers to spread to
the lungs, liver, bones and brain. But
it is uncommon for cancer to spread or
metastasize to the intestines or bladder
or kidneys. The treatment for metastatic
cancer is based on what the original cancer
was. So, breast cancer that spreads to
the lung is not lung cancer. It is breast
cancer and it is treated with the same
medications and radiation that are used
for breast cancer in the breast. Metastatic
cancer is the most advanced stage of a
cancer and is the hardest to treat.
Support
& Education Programs
We know that being diagnosed with cancer can be stressful for you and your
family. We offer a variety of cancer support services to help patients and
families gain the support and information they will need to meet the challenges
ahead.
To find information on the support and
education workshops plus wellness services,
please view the HOPES
calendar.
Read the most recent SUPPORT
publication, a resource written by
patients and families for patients and families >>>
|
