Metastasis is an invasion made by cancer cells to other organs in the body of an individual who initially had neoplasia in only one organ. In the case of breast cancer, for example, the tumour invades even the tissues of the lungs.

Routine gynaecological examinations must be done to prevent the patient's condition from being aggravated by having other organs in her body occupied by cancerous cells. The examinations must be accompanied by a mammogram, because the success of a treatment depends on the involution of the stem cells.  

Only with regular annual examinations can a malignant tumour be accurately diagnosed. The sooner a start is made on containing the proliferation of the tumour, the greater the chances of avoiding metastatic breast cancer.

From neoplasia to metastasis

Neoplasia is a form of anomalous cell proliferation of the organism to the organism itself. This proliferation is formed from the mutation of a genetic cell (DNA) at the time of its division. The "neo" means "new", and "plasis" means "multiplication", so the name itself is an explanation of how a tumour originates.

Our cells duplicate and, consequently, multiply constantly through the processes of mitosis and meiosis. This is a process of division of a cell to generate other cells, which we can call mother and daughter cells. The mother cell is the one that divides itself and, when dividing itself, generates new cells in the organism. An example of this is hair and nails or the healing of skin.

The difference between mitosis and meiosis is that in mitosis there is a division in which two daughter cells are created and each remains with the same number of chromosomes as the mother cell. In meiosis, four daughter cells are created and each one has half the number of chromosomes of the mother cell.

A breast tumour develops at the moment of cell division and multiplication which, instead of being natural, generates anomalous numbers, at odds with the organ tissues, preventing them from functioning as they should.

Thus, metastasis is the continued growth of the cancerous tumour which, if left untreated, grows, transforms and invades more and more organs, culminating in the failure of the occupied organ and also a collapse of the interdependent organs which stop functioning, leading to the patient's death.

Metastasis pathway

During the development and increase in volume of the cancer, at some point it will come into contact with both lymphatic vessels and blood vessels. The blood then starts to feed the tumour via these vessels. In the course of the process, the cancer cells come into contact with the blood vessels, even affecting, in some circumstances, the blood cells, as is the case of blood cancer. Lymphomas can also be invaded, so the stem cells affect organs distant from the organ where the malignant tumour originated.

This is the case of neoplastic cells, which detach themselves from the original tumour to aggregate in tissues of other organs. In the case of breast cancer, the most common metastases occur in the lungs, bones, liver, ovaries and brain.

Metastatic breast cancer

Metastasis is a tumour that develops in an organ other than the breast: breast cancer cells travel through the body via the lymph and blood and can invade other organs (bone, lung, liver or brain).

Deaths from breast cancer are not caused by the tumour in the breast, but by metastases.

With the resources made available by medicine, today women - and also some men - have treatments that inhibit metastatic breast cancer in 80 to 90% of cases - provided they are diagnosed in time. Remember that only mammography will provide accurate data about a lump in the breast.  

If cancer is treated in time, it is possible to prevent the proliferation of cancer cells. Another component that inhibits this proliferation is chemotherapy, as it eliminates diseased cells from the body. However, the patient who has recovered must have regular examinations, because there is still the possibility that sick cells survive the treatment and the process returns.

What did you think of knowing more about metastasis? Did it clear up your doubts? Information is a great weapon to protect your health. If there are any questions to clarify, leave your comment below. Until next time!

Sources:

https://www.inca.gov.br/o-que-e-cancer

https://www.inca.gov.br/como-se-comportam-celulas-cancerosas

https://pontobiologia.com.br/divisao-celular-cancer/

https://mundoeducacao.bol.uol.com.br/biologia/mitose-meiose.htm

http://www.femama.org.br/pacientesnocontrole/ampliando-olhares-sobre-o-cancer-de-mama-metastatico/

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