Metastasis , or metastatic disease (sometimes abbreviated mets ), is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize ; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research. The word metastasis means displacement in Greek , from μετά, meta , next , and στάσις, stasis , placement . The plural is metastases. Cancer occurs after a single cell in a tissue is progressively genetically damaged to produce a cancer stem cell possessing a malignant phenotype . These cancer stem cells are able to undergo uncontrolled abnormal mitosis , which serves to increase the total number of cancer cells at that location. When the area of cancer cells at the originating site becomes clinically detectable, it is called a primary tumor . Some cancer cells also acquire the ability to penetrate and infiltrate surrounding normal tissues in the local area, forming a new tumor. The newly formed daughter tumor in the adjacent site within the tissue is called a local metastasis. Some cancer cells acquire the ability to penetrate the walls of lymphatic and/or blood vessels , after which they are able to circulate through the bloodstream ( circulating tumor cells ) to other sites and tissues in the body. This process is known (respectively) as lymphatic or hematogeneous spread. After the tumor cells come to rest at another site, they re-penetrate through the vessel or walls, continue to multiply, and eventually another clinically detectable tumor is formed. This new tumor is known as a metastatic (or secondary ) tumor. Metastasis is one of three hallmarks of malignancy (contrast benign tumors ). Most tumors and other neoplasms can metastasize, although in varying degrees (e.g. basal cell carcinoma ) rarely metastasize. When tumor cells metastasize, the new tumor is called a secondary or metastatic tumor, and its cells are like those in the original tumor. This means, for example, that, if breast cancer metastasizes to the lungs, the secondary tumor is made up of abnormal breast cells, not of abnormal lung cells. The tumor in the lung is then called metastatic breast cancer , not lung cancer .
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Premium Questions (62)
I have done CT scan of my father and have got report as
CT features are suggestive of primary lung malignancy in left upper
lobe with mediastinal infiltration and encasing the lobar pulmonary
ateries
Enlarged mediastinal lymphnodes ,...
Is cervical lymph nodes on the right side of your neck connect to klippel syndrome. Small sub occipital craniotomy for decompression of foramen magnum. Posterior instrumentation and stabillization with later mass...
My wife is under palliative care for breast metastases. Her cancer has spread over liver, bone, lung as per PET CT. We started chemo at TMH in Mumbai. After 1st cycle her breast lump reduced almost 70%, and after...
My thigh goes numb more on rt side but does effect both while standing with lymph nodes and pain in that area
i sir iam 33 year old male my urine analysis test report was colour-pale yellow,apprearance-slightly tubid,sp.gravity-1.015,ph-6.5 albumin-abs,sugar-trace,ketonebodies-abs,bilesalts-abs,bilepigment-abs,urobilinogen-narmal, epithelial...
My brothers wife is 35 yrs of age she has undergone biopsy of lymph node mass in the periportal region and its Microscopic Descriptions are: Metastatic small cell carcinoma. The tumor cells express...
Dear Doctor,
We are in China. I heard about my cousin got ileocecum mucious adenocarcinoma. Our number of famlies are very worried about him. I send to you the detail about his Clinical diagnosis. His wife heard the...
Hello
My Mom have metastatic breast CA
HER-2 Negative PR++ ER+++
she got hormonal therapy tamoxifen faslodex
and now the Dr said she need to take chemotherapy
my question to you what is the best chemotherapy for her case and if there...
My father is suffering from lung cancer, stage 4 as it is metastasized to brain.
The EGFR report states that mutation L858R was observed in exon 21.
- Can we start with tablets in this case, instead of chemo...
Hi,
My husband is under investigation for TB of the lymph nodes. A sample has been taken from the lymph node and results are awaited. Does TB occur in one form only or can it be multiple - e.g. lymph nodes +...
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Online Doctor Chat (48) - Metastasis
User : Can hookworms affect lymph nodes?
Doctor : Hi
Doctor : Hook worm infestation can cause lymph nodes to enlarge when it infests the gut
User : Hello
Doctor : But Hook worm do not directly get into the lymph nodes
Doctor : I mean if you...
User : I am having swelling in my right chest cavity near my shoulder. Below my neck. There is no pain, but the swelling seems to be spreading, it comes and goes. How can I treat this, and what may it be?
Doctor : Hi
Doctor : I am Dr.
User :...
User : hi
Doctor : hi
Doctor : how can I help you?
User : hi doctors,
3 months back my mother had a sugry of cercinomical cervix. But after that
she is suffering from severe pain at and after lavatory. why she is getting that pain.
what...
User : i have pain on palpation down my left lateral line starting 4-5 inches under my arm, it hurts on palpation , if i lay on it wrong, almost fells like a bruise. I do have many lipomas all over my body that if irritated can become sore. this...
Doctor : Hi
User : Hi
Doctor : Dr XXX here
Doctor : How may i help yoyu?
User : XXX here.
User : I guess everything I wrote before I signed up is gone?
Doctor : Yes
User : I have serous papillary adenocarcinoma with psamomma bodies - stage...
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Public Forum (180) - Metastasis
2 Answers
Hi, I have one not-so-painful lymph node near my waist (right side of my back) and two more without pain. i also have one on my right thigh which again is not paining. Is any surgery required ?
1 Answer
Today for no reason i started sweating alot and my heart beat started getting faster and faster any reasons for this? i had to sit down for ten minutes had some orange juice and an 81mg bayer aspirin waht was the cause of this this is the first time this ever happened to me I am not stressed out or anything i am 42 years old!!!
hi i am a 30 year old women and i having light periods that lasting a day i wondering if i am pregant cos i am gaining weight got clear stuff coming from the breasts and eat all the time, i feel what is like bubbles or gas moving round inside and i am always tried. the thing is i did a home test and that had one dark line and one pink line went...
1 Answer
Hi Dr xxxxxx, I m experiencing abit of discomfort underneath my right armpit, it can be painfull too. I am due to start my period soon and have addressed this problem to my GP. He said there was nothing to worry about, as the lymph nodes can become sensitive dring menstruation . Can you please advise? Many Thanks
1 Answer
Is ensure a safe drink to have while on both chemo and radiation for metastasized stomach cancer? I have read articles stating that ensure is filled with sugar , which can actually be counterproductive in cancer patients due to the fact that cancer feeds off of sugar.
1 Answer
After breast cancer and removal of 3 lymph nodes my arm has not been the same after breast cancer my arm cracks at the rotator cuff . I have pain in my arm and my hand is stiff and painful I have to open and close hand to crack a feel alittle better. I have had two infections to the same arm after surgery a year apart. It really bothers me the...
1 Answer
sir, i hav tb of cervical lymph node , sir i need 2 ask u, is it curable??? it wont increase day by day????? i have started medicines from last 5 months. but the size of lymph node is same. its not decreasing. can u suggest me some affordable hospital for treatment .
Hi i just had a abdominalpelvic ct with oral and iv contrast and it said Small non specific nodular densitiy in the right lower lobe Colonic diverticulosis Mild mesenteric panniculitis Non specific retrocrural lymph node Can you please let my know my dr is in vacasion for two weeks thanks
2 Answers
Painful unilateral lymph nodes on head and neck with heavy fluid like feeling around ear. Can swallowing too much semen get inside your inner ear and cause fluid build up and swollen painful unilateral lymph nodes on head and neck?
2 Answers
I had a bad uritca last week and now I have a pop up lymph node lateral of my neck , do they have any relation?
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