Today, cancer has become a threat as lot mortality has been recorded all over the world. You will note that almost everyone is affected in one way or the other. This is why scientists around the world are working hard to study the evolvement of cancerous cells and come up with a cure. Doctors recommend that people go for regular check-ups as early diagnosis of cancer can be cured. You will note that if a patient is diagnosed with cancer when it has advanced to its late stages, controlling and curing it can be very difficult and the patient may die. Therefore, it is advisable to follow your doctor’s advice and go for regular screening as a family because even children are not spared.
When studying the evolvement of cancerous cells, researchers found that there is a tendency of the cells to detach from the primary organ and spread to the rest of the body. This means that the cancer cells can move from where they first started to other organs in the body. Studies show that the cells can travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Once in the blood, the cells can travel and attach to any organ in the body. After the cells have attached to a new organ, they will start to grow and form a new tumor. Therefore, the spread of cancer cells from the primary site to the rest of the body is called metastasis.
Studies show that for the metastasis process to be completed, cancer cells should be able to detach away from the primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Also, the cells should be able to attach themselves to the blood and lymph vessels which are the only transport medium for them to reach a new organ in the body. Also, for cancer to be metastasis the cells should be able to grow and thrive on the new organ. Studies also show that it is possible for the cells to die before reaching the new organ or fail to survive upon arrival. It is also noted that if the immune system of the patient is strong, it will attack the new cells and destroy them before settling in a new organ and grow into a tumor.
Scientists have also noted that metastasis cancer can be hard to cure. This is because the cells growing in the new organ can be completely different from those in the primary organ. It is noted that the change is attributed to the moving and settling process of the cancerous cells. In some patients, it becomes even harder to treat if the diagnosis is done when cancer has already spread all over the body. This is because the doctor is not able to know its origin. You will note that cancer metastasis treatment is administered with respect to where it started. Therefore, if its origin is unknown, treatment becomes very hard. Researchers are still working on drugs that will be able to shrink the metastasis cancer cells and prevent further spread.