Cancer is a malfunction of cells that replicate uncontrollably, causing tumors to grow and spread through the lymphatic system, bloodstream, and locally. Excision is difficult, and doctors take a large area around the tumor to prevent recurrence. Cancer is divided into primary and secondary types, with malignant tumors requiring careful treatment to prevent the spread of the disease. Regular exams are recommended for those at risk.
Cancer is characterized by a radical malfunction of the body’s cells, which start to replicate uncontrollably, causing tumors to grow. Cancer spreads very quickly sometimes, with victims not realizing the extent of the infection until it’s too late. It also spreads, or metastasizes, in a variety of ways, including locally, through the bloodstream, and through the lymphatic system. For this reason, excision of cancerous cells is difficult and doctors often take a large area around the cancerous tumor to prevent recurrence.
When tumors form in or on the body, medical professionals determine whether they are benign or malignant. If benign, the tumor looks unsightly but won’t spread and doesn’t require extensive treatment beyond removal. If malignant, the tumor is usually referred to as cancerous and is treated much more carefully to prevent the catastrophic spread of the disease.
Cancer is divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary cancer refers to the area that was first colonized by the cancer, while secondary cancer is caused by spread. For example, if the cancer metastasizes to the liver but originates in the stomach, it’s still called stomach cancer, because that’s the source of the primary cancer. It is the spread of cancer that can be deadly, because a handful of cancerous cells can wreak havoc on the victim’s body.
When cancer metastasizes through the lymphatic system, it takes advantage of the extensive network of lymph nodes throughout the human body. Some cells can detach from the primary cancer and circulate through the lymphatic system looking for a new place to settle. As a result, most doctors will remove lymph nodes around the area of a tumor during surgery, to ensure that no cancer cells lurking in the lymph nodes spread after the primary tumor is removed.
Cancer also spreads through the bloodstream, in much the same way it spreads through the lymphatic system. Like all cells, cancer requires blood and oxygen to survive and therefore has access to the bloodstream. As a result, malignant cells can be carried through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. It is much more difficult to prevent cancer from spreading through the bloodstream due to the vast network of veins in the human body.
Cancer also spreads locally, taking over and eating nearby healthy cells. When cancer spreads locally, it can move very slowly, as is the case with many skin cancers, or rapidly to certain other parts of the body, depending on susceptibility. Certain parts of the body such as the liver and lungs are more susceptible to cancer spreading than others and the spread of cancer will also be affected by what type of cancer it is.
If you are in a cancer risk category, make sure you get regular exams to stop the spread of cancer early, providing you with the best chance of survival.
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