By metastases on the skin, specialists mean areas of malignant neoplasms of a secondary nature. Their manifestation, as a rule, happens in the area of the location of the lymph nodes or veins. On the skin, they can be observed only in 0.7-9.0% of all patients who are diagnosed with cancer.
Occurrence factors
Metastasis, which manifests itself on the skin, can occur regardless of the type of malignant neoplasm. However, as practice shows, there are very few cases of skin metastases in case of cancer of the internal organs.
If we talk about the trends in their formation in other types of tumors, then in this case they are not the same. So, in the case of representatives of the weaker sex, the following factors can become a catalyst for the occurrence of metastases:
- The development of breast cancer, which is the most common cause of this skin lesion.
- Malignant lesion of the colon.
- In 5% of cases, one can observe how metastases of skin melanoma manifest.
- Malignant neoplasm in the ovaries.
Skin metastases in men
If we talk about men, then they have metastasis on the skin appears in the following cases:
- Lung cancer, which is observed in 25% of patients.
- Oncology of the colon.
- Malignant damage to the tissues of the oral cavity.
According to the vast majority of medical specialists, the fact that metastases on the skin are a rather rare manifestation can be explained by the high protective ability of the epidermis. It is for this reason that the vast majority of cancer cells, having reached epithelial tissues, simply die.
Varieties of skin cancer
Speaking about skin cancer, experts imply several oncological pathologies at once, the origin, symptoms and prognosis of which also vary. Pathologies such as skin basal cell metastases, squamous malignant skin lesions or melanoma, according to statistics, are detected most often. It is possible to determine exactly what specific variety of oncological pathology can be, exclusively such a specialist as an oncologist-dermatologist.
If we talk about basilioma, then this type of skin cancer is considered the most common and develops from skin cells. If you look at the photo, the skin metastases look like a convex nodule of small size, under which the blood vessels are visible. Often, such neoplasms can be observed on the skin of the face, in some cases, on the scalp. As a rule, this type of cancer progresses at a very slow pace and does not form metastases, so the prognosis for such patients is favorable.
What does cancer metastasis on the skin look like with squamous cell carcinoma? In this case, they resemble a large neoplasm, similar to a thin-leg wart. In almost 100% of cases, these warts are localized on the lower lip. With this variety, the pathological process is able to penetrate into the deeper layers of the epidermis and through the bloodstream to infect other organs and tissues.
Melanoma is formed due to pigmentation of skin cells. This oncological process develops, as a rule, in the area of localization of moles or freckles. The danger of melanoma lies in the fact that it is a very aggressive type of cancer and gives metastases in the early stages of development. Therefore, people who have many moles and age spots on the body are advised to constantly monitor their condition. If we talk about the stages of the pathological process, then skin cancer passes from zero to 4th stage.
Clinical picture
Everyone should understand that the manifestation of secondary signs of a cancerous process on the skin indicates the 3rd or 4th stage of the oncological process, when the clinical picture becomes more pronounced, and the chances of success of the treatment are reduced to zero. Therefore, speaking about how metastases on the skin look, it should be borne in mind that their localization depends on the area of cancer.
General symptoms in this case are as follows:
- a state of general weakness and drowsiness, as well as reduced working capacity;
- decline in physical strength;
- pain in the field of neoplasm development;
- significant loss of body weight;
- fever;
- susceptibility to various diseases and a decrease in the body's natural defenses;
- depression, etc.
As for the clinical manifestations of the indicated secondary signs on the skin, there can be a ton of options. Most often, the appearance of nodules can be observed. Moreover, their number and size can reach a variety of values.
The skin in those areas where such metastases appeared may remain unchanged. However, if these elements are located close to the surface of the epidermis, then in this case the skin may acquire a bluish or pinkish tint.
One of the characteristic signs of skin metastasis is experts consider the dense structure of the nodes and the high rate of their development. It often happens that these nodules begin to ulcerate and disintegrate.
According to some experts, with a metastatic tumor there are no specific skin symptoms. However, as practice shows, in the case of the development of breast cancer on the skin, you can often observe manifestations resembling signs of erysipelas or scleroderma.
Methods for identifying pathology
Detection of skin metastases is carried out by specialists, studying clinical manifestations or making histological studies.
As a key histological sign of a developing tumor, experts call the absence of symptoms of the inflammatory process. In the case of primary tumors, in almost all cases an inflammatory infiltrate is detected.
Therapeutic measures
In the treatment of skin metastases affected by the oncological process, the following therapeutic methods are used:
- radiation therapy;
- chemical therapy, when injections are injected into the lesion;
- measures to strengthen the local immune system;
- photodynamic treatment;
- surgical removal of metastases.
In practice, combined treatment is often used with the simultaneous use of several techniques.
Medicine today does not stand still, new methods are being developed to treat a huge number of diseases, including cancer. In this case, as an alternative therapeutic method for the fight against oncology, hyperthermia can also be called. It is understood as a thermal effect on the whole organism or a separate lesion site. The essence of this method is the effect of high temperatures on the lesions, as a result of which cancer cells die, and healthy tissues do not overheat. Along with this, thanks to this method, the immune system is activated.
Folk recipes
Using traditional medicine to combat metastases can be as an addition to traditional therapeutic measures and only after consultation with the attending physician on this issue. In the treatment of the oncological process, poisonous plants are used, in connection with which it is important to adhere to the dosage and duration of the therapeutic course.
It is possible to stop the growth process of metastases using propolis with oil. For this, it is necessary to take butter and propolis in equal proportions and heat these components in a water bath to a state of complete dissolution. The resulting composition should be poured into a container and stored in a cool and protected from sunlight. This tool is recommended to use 1 teaspoon every morning half an hour before a meal. The break between such courses of treatment should be at least 2 weeks.
Hemlock seeds are toxic. Therefore, it is important to follow all the rules when preparing tinctures based on them and its use. It is important to understand that overdosing is fraught with negative health consequences. To prepare a healing tincture, 25 g of seeds should be filled with half a liter of vodka. The resulting solution should be placed in a cool dark place for 10 days. Take the drug daily in the morning 30 minutes before eating. In this case, the dosage should start with 1 drop, increasing daily by 1 drop, to reach 40 drops in one application.
Prognosis for patients
As already noted above, the manifestation of metastases is an indicator characteristic of the later stages of the development of pathology. For this reason, the prognosis for such patients is very unfavorable. The average life expectancy of such patients at this stage is 6.5 months. In some cases, you can talk about 12 months.
Conclusion
The formation of metastases on the skin is not only a cosmetic defect, but also can bring great discomfort to patients. For such patients, timely treatment is very important, which will maintain the condition at a satisfactory level.