Metastatic cancer is a dangerous stage, seriously affecting the health of patients. At this time, the survival rate of patients is very low. So what is metastatic cancer? How long does metastatic cancer live? Let's explore the article with SignsSymptomsList below to get your answer.
How long to live with metastatic cancer is a concern of many people, especially those with terminal cancer and their loved ones. Understanding that mentality, in today's article, SignsSymptomsList will help readers remove this problem in detail.
What is metastatic cancer?
Metastasis is the medical term used to refer to the movement of cancer cells from the original site of appearance to other parts and areas of the body. The characteristics and nature of metastatic cancer are similar to those of primary cancer, but the degree of spread and danger of metastatic cancer is much greater.
The name of the metastatic cancer is the same as the name of the primary cancer, only the two words metastasize is added to the back. For example, liver cancer cells that have spread to the lungs are called metastatic liver cancer or liver cancer that has spread to the lungs.
Metastasis develops when cancer cells break away from the main tumor and begin to invade the bloodstream, lymphatic system, and nearby tissues. Cancer cells can even move away from the original tumor, settle and grow in other organs of the body, and form new tumors. After a few years, the patient was found to have metastatic cancer.
In fact, most cancer cells have the ability to metastasize. When they travel to the peritoneum or pleura, these cancer cells can cause a number of dangerous symptoms. Some typical sites of metastasis include:
- Lung cancer tends to spread to the bones, brain, adrenal glands, and liver.
- Colon and rectal cancers tend to spread to the liver and lungs.
- Breast cancer tends to metastasize to the bones, chest wall, brain, liver, and lungs.
- Prostate cancer often metastasizes to the bones.
In general, metastatic cancer often does not cause obvious symptoms. Symptoms of metastatic cancer depend on the location of the metastases as well as the size of the tumor in the body. Some common symptoms of metastatic cancer include:
- Pain or fracture when the cancer has spread to the bone.
- Headache, dizziness or convulsions when metastases in the brain.
- Peritoneal effusion, jaundice when metastasized in the liver.
- Shortness of breath, coughing up blood when metastases in the lungs.
Pain or fracture may be seen in metastatic bone cancer
How long does metastatic cancer live?
How long does metastatic cancer live is a constant worry in the hearts of cancer patients as well as their loved ones.
As is known, curing metastatic cancer is extremely difficult because when metastatic cancer cells grow strongly in the body's organs, it will be very difficult to control as well as reduce the rate of metastasis. of them. Compared with the early stage, the survival prognosis of patients with metastatic stage cancer is often much more conservative. At this time, the treatment of metastatic cancer only helps to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, while reducing uncomfortable and painful symptoms, thereby prolonging the patient's life.
Depending on the type of metastatic cancer, the location of metastasis as well as the general condition and health, the survival time of patients with metastatic cancer is estimated on average from 16-24 months. To achieve such results, patients need to strictly follow the doctor's instructions, maintain a moderate diet and always keep an optimistic spirit. Without treatment, the patient's survival time will be shortened, on average only from 3 to 6 months.
How long you live with metastatic cancer depends on many factors
Treatment of metastatic cancer
As discussed above, the goal of treatment for metastatic cancer is to slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. The treatment depends a lot on factors such as type of primary cancer, tumor size, metastatic location… Usually, treatment of metastatic cancer requires systemic treatment, using drugs by route. Oral or intravenous infusion to affect cancer cells such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy , immunotherapy, surgery ...
In some clinical situations, metastatic cancer can be specifically treated in the following ways:
- Brain metastases: Depending on the number and size of the tumor as well as the extent of the disease, treatment options may include: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or steroids.
- Bone metastases: Treatment with anti-osteoporotic drugs, radiation therapy, or surgery.
- Lung metastatic cancer: Based on the degree of metastasis as well as the type of primary cancer. In most cases, treatment will be similar to that of the primary cancer. If the metastasis of cancer cells causes pleural effusion , the doctor may recommend aspiration pleural effusion to make it easier for the patient to breathe.
- Liver metastases: Depending on the type of cancer, the extent and number and size of liver metastases. In many cases, the treatment regimen will remain the same as that of the primary cancer.
In cases where the combined disease requires limited specific treatment for both primary and metastatic cancer, palliative care is the best option. And in the case of metastatic cancer, an organ transplant is not a treatment option.
Radiation therapy is one of the adjuvant treatments for metastatic cancer
Advice for patients with metastatic cancer
When knowing that the disease has progressed to the metastatic stage, the patient needs to be calm to fight the disease instead of being moody and worrying excessively. Here are some tips that SignsSymptomsList wants to give to sick people:
- Learn about disease-related knowledge such as treatment methods, nutrition and self-care... This will help patients cooperate in treatment, thereby bringing high efficiency in treatment.
- Don't worry too much. Instead of worrying too much, patients should share their feelings, worries and concerns with relatives and friends. This will help the patient relieve stress.
- In addition, patients can do gentle exercises such as meditation, yoga. Besides, patients can also listen to music or chat with loved ones. As a result, patients will have more positive thoughts, thereby improving the quality of life as well as the spirit of fighting the disease.
Patients with metastatic cancer need to stay optimistic to fight the disease
Above is information about metastatic cancer and metastatic cancer treatment methods that SignsSymptomsList has compiled to share with readers. Hopefully through this article, readers can answer the question of how long metastatic cancer can live . Don't worry too much because with the development of current medicine, if treated correctly, the life expectancy of patients with metastatic cancer can still be prolonged.