Metastasis overview: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| (One intermediate revision by one other user not shown) | |||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
[[Cancer cell]]s can "break away", "leak", or "spill" from a [[primary tumor]], enter [[lymphatic vessel|lymphatic]] and [[blood vessel]]s, circulate through the bloodstream, and settle down to grow within normal tissues elsewhere in the body. Metastasis is one of three hallmarks of [[cancer|malignancy]] (contrast [[benign tumor]]s).<ref name="Robbins"> Kumar, Abbas, Fausto; ''Robbins and Cotran: Pathologic Basis of Disease''; Elsevier, 7th ed.</ref> Most [[tumor]]s and other [[neoplasia|neoplasms]] can metastasize, although in varying degrees, barring a few exceptions (e.g., [[Glioma]] and [[Basal cell carcinoma]] never metastasize).<ref name="Robbins"/> | [[Cancer cell]]s can "break away", "leak", or "spill" from a [[primary tumor]], enter [[lymphatic vessel|lymphatic]] and [[blood vessel]]s, circulate through the bloodstream, and settle down to grow within normal tissues elsewhere in the body. Metastasis is one of three hallmarks of [[cancer|malignancy]] (contrast [[benign tumor]]s).<ref name="Robbins"> Kumar, Abbas, Fausto; ''Robbins and Cotran: Pathologic Basis of Disease''; Elsevier, 7th ed.</ref> Most [[tumor]]s and other [[neoplasia|neoplasms]] can metastasize, although in varying degrees, barring a few exceptions (e.g., [[Glioma]] and [[Basal cell carcinoma]] never metastasize).<ref name="Robbins"/> | ||
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]] spreads (metastasizes) to the lung, 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''. | 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]] spreads (metastasizes) to the lung, 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''. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|2}} | {{Reflist|2}} | ||
Latest revision as of 13:28, 26 August 2015
|
Metastasis Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Metastasis overview On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Metastasis overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Metastasis (Greek: displacement, μετά=next + στάσις=placement, plural: metastases), sometimes abbreviated mets, is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. Only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize.
Cancer cells can "break away", "leak", or "spill" from a primary tumor, enter lymphatic and blood vessels, circulate through the bloodstream, and settle down to grow within normal tissues elsewhere in the body. Metastasis is one of three hallmarks of malignancy (contrast benign tumors).[1] Most tumors and other neoplasms can metastasize, although in varying degrees, barring a few exceptions (e.g., Glioma and Basal cell carcinoma never metastasize).[1]
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 spreads (metastasizes) to the lung, 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.