How Does Breast Cancer Spread?
Introduction
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 192,370 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 alone. Of those diagnosed, as many as 40,170 are expected to lose their life to the disease. Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast tissue, but can quickly metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body.
Migration
The first stage of metastasis for breast cancer is migration. Migration occurs when cancerous cells migrate into the surrounding tissue near the primary tumor site. At this stage, the cancer is in most cases still limited to the breast tissue or nearby lymph nodes.
Intravasation
Once the cancer has migrated into surrounding tissue it advances into its second stage of metastasis, which is intravasation. Intravasation involves the movement of cancer cells into either the lymph system or the bloodstream. Both the lymph system and bloodstream provide a wide open access to the body through the many vessels that run throughout the body. These pathways run from the top of the head all the way down to the toes.
Extravasation
Once the cancer cells have gained access to either the lymph system or the bloodstream, they advance into the next stage of metastasis called extravasation. During extravasation, cancer cells exit the vessel walls into new organs. These can include organs such as the lungs, liver and others throughout the body.
Colonizatiom
Once the cancer cell has exited the vessels walls, it enters into its final stage of metastasis which is colonization. During this stage, the cancer cell develops new blood vessels to feed its growth and proliferates into a secondary tumor sites. Many secondary tumor sites can spring up throughout the body in the same fashion.
Tags: stage metastasis, cancer cells, lymph system, lymph system bloodstream, Once cancer
