Q. How and why does metastasis occur?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to other parts of the body and is considered the leading cause of death in cancer patients. However, it is important to understand how and why metastasis occurs because it sheds light on potential treatment options.
Metastasis has three main stages: invasion, intravasation, and colonization. During invasion, tumors first break through healthy tissue barriers within the surrounding organs or around blood vessels. This process releases more malignant cells into circulation that can then travel elsewhere in the body via intravasation (the process where cancer cells enter blood vessels). Once these malignant cells reach distant organs or tissues, they create secondary tumors during colonization which allows them to continue growing quickly compared to their slow-moving counterparts found at their original site of origin.
So why does metastasis occur? In most cases, metastasis happens when malignant cancer cells acquire “metastatic traits” that allow them to move freely throughout our circulatory system and eventually colonize other organs/tissues; this often involves alterations in genetic signaling pathways associated with gene mutations like proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. While further research needs to be conducted on what exactly causes certain genetic mutations related to metastatic traits, some contributing factors include accumulation of damage as we age due environmental exposures (like smoking), diet & nutrition choices (poor dietary habits may increase inflammation), stress levels along with physical activity levels (sedentary lifestyles have been linked with higher instances of advanced cancers) – all things which may affect gene expression regulation associated with growth & survival signals for malignant cancer cells allowing them free passage throughout our bodies!
Metastases are complex problems but understanding metabolic processes such as how & why they occur can help clinicians identify potential treatments that focus on reducing damage caused by environment exposure while targeting specific genetic mutations related to each form of disease allowing physicians develop personalized care plans tailored specifically towards individual patient needs!