Metastatic Disease

Metastatic Disease does not happen by itself; it comes from a primary malignant cancer in the body.  Malignant cells break away from that primary organ or part and travel to another organ in the body.  There the malignant cells “find a home” in normal tissue.  Metastatic Disease is discovered after the basic cancer has been diagnosed. On rare occasions, it appears on x-ray before the primary cancer has been discovered.

The organs that have the most common occurrence of metastatic disease are bones, the brain, lungs, and the liver.  Symptoms are: bone pain and fractures; headaches, seizures, or unsteadiness; shortness of breath; enlarged lymph nodes; dense breast tissue; thickening of the skin and jaundice or abdominal swelling. Sometimes there are no symptoms present and it is discovered because medical tests for something else are being preformed.  

The doctor and patient must decide treatment of metastatic disease.  It depends on the type of cancer as well as size and location of the disease. It is recommended to have a strong support system for the patient from both the family and medical staff during this time.  Types of treatment include radio surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, surgery or a combination.  Some patients prefer the holistic treatment.  Whatever treatment, patient’s life spans are unpredictable. Sometimes a patient can live a very long life with the cancer if it is treated and under control. Others may have a shorter time of life.

The National Cancer Institute is continuously doing research to cure cancer.  It has a presence in thirty-eight states. Many other health facilities also include cancer research in their programs. Holistic research also is taking place by a different branch of doctors. Treatment of cancer has improved remarkably  in the last decade.