How Cancer Spreads
Cancer is the disease in which the body has no control over the cells that begin to split. Cancer can easily spread throughout the body. Scientists call the process of cancerous cells moving metastasis. Most of our cells in our bodies stick to their neighbors with molecules that are like Velcro. The velco-like molecules are what make up our organs, such as the heart and the lungs. Unfortunately these molecules help the cancerous cells attach and effect neighboring cells. There are three main ways that a cancerous cells effects others...
Local Spread
Local spread is the most common way for a cancer to spread. It is when the cancer grows into the cells directly adjacent to the infected one. As the cancerous tumor grows it takes up more room in the body. After a while it starts to grow into the body structures nearby, this is called local invasion. Unfortunately how cancer actually spreads into the surrounding cells id not yet fully understood. However, reaserch has pointed us into the right direction. There are three likely ways that the rumor does this.
The first is pressue from the growing tumor, as the tumor grows it takes up more space, which presses on the other body tissues nearby. The tumor will force itself through the other normal tissues.
The first is pressue from the growing tumor, as the tumor grows it takes up more space, which presses on the other body tissues nearby. The tumor will force itself through the other normal tissues.
The cancerous cells are branchign out sideways because that is the path of least resistance. The cancerous cells find it easier to grow between sheets of muscle rather than going through it. AS it grows it cuts off circulation to some of the healthy tissues. The loss of circulation causes the normal tissues to die, which in turn makes it easier for the cancerous cells to spread.
Scientists have found another way that canserous cells spread locally. This way is by using enzymes. Enzymes is a chemical which is produced from blood cells, the enzymes are designed to break down other cells and tissues. Blood cells use the enzymes to attack and get rid of bacteria and viruses that pose a threat to the blood cell. Enzymes are also used to break down and clear up damaged areas of the body, which is part of the natural healing process. Cancerous cells contain a lot more of these enzymes than other healthy cells. The enzymes help to make an easier path for the cancerous cells to travel through.
The final way that cancerous cells spread locally is by actually moving. The cancerous cells move a lot easier than the normal, healthy cells. Scientists have discovered a substance which allows the cancerous cells to be able to move faster. It is thought that this substance is a big part in helping the cancer spread locally. Scientists think that if they are able to find out what makes this substance, they can somehow find a way top stop the cells from producing this substance.
Scientists have found another way that canserous cells spread locally. This way is by using enzymes. Enzymes is a chemical which is produced from blood cells, the enzymes are designed to break down other cells and tissues. Blood cells use the enzymes to attack and get rid of bacteria and viruses that pose a threat to the blood cell. Enzymes are also used to break down and clear up damaged areas of the body, which is part of the natural healing process. Cancerous cells contain a lot more of these enzymes than other healthy cells. The enzymes help to make an easier path for the cancerous cells to travel through.
The final way that cancerous cells spread locally is by actually moving. The cancerous cells move a lot easier than the normal, healthy cells. Scientists have discovered a substance which allows the cancerous cells to be able to move faster. It is thought that this substance is a big part in helping the cancer spread locally. Scientists think that if they are able to find out what makes this substance, they can somehow find a way top stop the cells from producing this substance.
Blood Circulation
Another common way for cancer to spread is through the blood stream. In order for the cancerous cells to reach the blood stream the cells need to un-attach themselves from the tumor. They then move through the wall of a blood velssel to get into the bloodstream.
Once the cancerous cell is in the bloodstream it will keep traveling until it gets stuck somewhere, usually at a smnall blood vessel called a capillary. Once through the wall of the capillary it attaches itself to an organ and starts to grow. Many cancerous cells reach the bloodstream, but usually only one will land somewhere else and start to grow.
The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system, is a system of tubes that run all through out the body. These tubes are much finer than aarteries and veins, and they carry a colourless liquid called lymph. The cancerous cells enter the lymphatic system the same way they enter the blood stream, through the walls. However one in the lymphatic system, it wont get stuck on a capillary, it will get stuck on a lymph node. After that it will grow into another patch of cancer.
Why cancers spread the way they do
There are more common areas for the cancer to atop than others. For example the lungs and the liver are the most common. These plaeces are first to be infected because of the amount of capillaries there are. A cancerous cells attach themselves to capillaries, so where there's more capillaries, the more likely the chance of cancer moving there. The blood stream goes throught he liver before going back up to the heart and the lungs, this is supossed to rid the blood of toxins. This also means that the liver is quite likely to get infected with a cancerous cell. Only some cancers are predictable like this, there are some cancers out there that aren't predictable, and we don't know why they spread a certain way. That's what makes cancer so hard to treat. Cancer Treatment