Like the seeds of a dandelion drift on the wind and land other places, cancer can spread under the right conditions. How does cancer spread and why does it happen? We tackle these questions in this episode in our series “Everything you always wanted to know about cancer, but didn’t have anyone to ask.”
In This Episode:
- 3:44 – Road Trip: Missouri and Recipe for Gooey Butter Cake
- 5:22 – What is Your Life’s Resume? A Short Guide to a Happy Life
- 8:10 – What Makes Cancer Spread? (Metastasize)
- 11:33 – Why Does Metastasis Happen?
- 13:58 – Where Does Cancer Tend to Spread To?
- 16:02 – Discussion About Metastatic Cancer
- 17:42 – Discussion – How Do You Find Cancer?
- 23:26 – What’s Left of Me: Poems of a Dead Soul
- 24:12 – Outro
What is Metastasis?
Simply put, metastasis is when the cancer moves from the original organ to another part of the body. The goal of treating metastatic cancer is to control it by stopping or slowing its growth. Some people can live for years with metastatic cancer that is well-controlled. The treatment depends on the type of primary cancer, where it has spread, previous cancer treatments, and general health.
Rogue Cancer Cells – Metastasis
Cancer researchers, at the most basic level, focus their energy on what makes cancer cells start in the first place and what makes it metastasize. We’ve been talking the last few weeks about the basic aspects of cancer and this week we are going to talk about cancer cells going rogue and moving through the body. This is called metastasis or stage 4 cancer.
Where Does Cancer Tend to Spread To?
Cancers spread to distant locations based on the type of the original tumor. See the table below for common metastasis locations. Sometimes pain or dysfunction of organs in these locations are the first sign of cancer.
Common Metastasis Sites by Cancer Type
| Cancer Type | Main Sites of Metastasis |
|---|---|
| Bladder | Bone, liver, lung |
| Breast | Bone, brain, liver, lung |
| Colon | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Kidney | Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, lung |
| Lung | Adrenal gland, bone, brain, liver, other lung |
| Melanoma | Bone, brain, liver, lung, skin, muscle |
| Ovary | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Pancreas | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Prostate | Adrenal gland, bone, liver, lung |
| Rectal | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Stomach | Liver, lung, peritoneum |
| Thyroid | Bone, liver, lung |
| Uterus | Bone, liver, lung, peritoneum, vagina |
Metastatic cancer does not always cause symptoms. When symptoms do occur, what they are like and how often you have them will depend on the size and location of the metastatic tumors. Some common signs of metastatic cancer include:
- jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver
- pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the bone
- headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the brain
- shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung
Related Episodes:
See our other episodes in our series about cancer:
- S5E45: Why Does Cancer Exist? Empower Yourself With Understanding
- S5E46: “Why Do I Have Cancer?” Kismet, Chastisement or Coincidence?
- S5E47: MythBusters – Cancer Edition; Clarifying Common Cancer Myths & Misconceptions
- S5E48: How to Read a CT Scan Report – Learn the Sections Relevant to Your Diagnosis
- S5E49: Are there Miracle Cures for Cancer? With Dr. Jeanna Ford
- S5E50: What is Meant by Cancer Staging? Learn the Language of a Cancer Diagnosis
- S4E46: What You Need to Know about Stomach Cancer – Part 1
- S4E47: What You Need To Know About Stomach Cancer, Part 2
References:
- 75 Interesting Facts About Missouri – The Fact File
- Ooey Gooey Butter Cake | MrFood.com
- 16 Things You Didn’t Know About The History Of Missouri
- In brief: How do cancer cells grow and spread? – InformedHealth.org – NCBI Bookshelf
- Metastatic Cancer: When Cancer Spreads – NCI was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.
- Reasons for cancer metastasis: A holistic perspective – PMC
- How Does Metastasis Occur? Understanding Cancer Spread and Its Impact on Treatment – BeatCancer
- Cancer After Hysterectomy: Symptoms
- Immune Evasion – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Resources:
- Cancer Types | This Is Living With Cancer | Official Site
- Cancer Resources – Chemocare
- Cancer Information & Resources | Understand Cancer Together®
- Who We Are – Stupid Cancer
- Cancer Guide: 2023 PRCG Summer.indd
- Shenandoah- Tennessee Ernie Ford https://youtu.be/khxx3sCVhtE
- Anna Quindlen. 2000. A Short Guide to a Happy Life”, Available here: https://a.co/d/83et18B
- WHAT’S LEFT OF ME: Poems of a dead soul: Poetry, Ticus: 9798300150860: Amazon.com: Books
Recipe of the Week: Gooey Butter Cake
This week we travel to Missouri, and St. Louis holds a Gooey Butter cake that will kill your diet but please your sweet tooth! Get the recipe from Chef Billy Parisi.
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