Everyone knows that cancer is a very dangerous disease, especially if it is diagnosed at a late stage. One of the varieties of this disease is metachronic cancer. But what is he like? Metachronic cancer is one of three forms of the so-called bilateral cancer of glands or organs that are arranged in pairs in the human body, for example, on the right and left sides of one system, or tumors that have the same histological structure. Below you can familiarize yourself with this concept in more detail, the possible causes of the development of the disease, as well as with the symptoms.
general description
Speaking about what metachronic cancer is, one should pay attention to the fact that initially the neoplasm appears on some separate organ, and after a short time it also forms on the second organ, if there is a paired one. Secondary nodules of the disease have a significantly smaller size compared to the primary. Quite often metachronic cancer is diagnosed in the mammary glands, in the lungs, as well as in the gastrointestinal tract. Also in practice, there are cases of lymphoproliferative diseases.
What is the metachronous course of cancer, where does the disease come from?
We continue to consider the features of this cancer. What is multiple metachron cancer? This is a form of oncology that has 2-6 primary tumor nodes. In this case, a primary neoplasm can form in one organ, and another tumor is formed in another organ. The third node can again form on the first organ. There are many such combinations of primary multiple metachronous cancer.
In general, this concept refers to the process during which both mammary glands are affected. However, there are often cases in practice when the second mammary gland is affected only a year after the diagnosis of the tumor on the first.
In the medical field, there have been various cases of primary multiple metachronous cancer. For example, patients had 6 different malignant processes that occurred with unequal duration of remission. Among experts, there is an assumption that a similar situation begins to develop with the early detection of the initial focus and the use of mainly palliative or gentle methods of therapy, that is, without excising the tumor itself.
In addition, scientists conducted research, thanks to which it was possible to identify that the presence of separate indicators of enzyme activity provides an opportunity to determine risk groups. Neoplasms in primary metachronous cancer appear with a considerable interval. If this disease is detected at an early stage of development, and the most radical is selected among the treatment methods, then the prognosis of survival is very favorable for humans.
Statistics show that in primary multiple metachronous cancer (according to ICD-10 its code is C97), most often the second tumor forms within 5-10 years after the first. A huge role is also played by the length of the interval between the appearance of these neoplasms. Scientists believe that if after 5 years of observation and under the condition of normal well-being of the patient a new lesion has formed, then there is a primary multiple metachronic cancer of the breast or other organ.
Causes
What is the cause of the development of this disease? There are still no specific causes of metachronous cancer. Doctors still carry out studies on the possible effects of chemotherapy and radiation exposure. There are also arguments about the negative effects of preoperative treatment, while postoperative chemotherapy, as well as radiation, are not capable of exerting such an effect.
Metachronic cancer of the breast or other organs can occur due to smoking, as this is a provoking factor in the development of any oncological processes. That is why, in order to prevent oncologists, patients are advised to abandon this addiction.
In general, the cause of the onset of an initially multiple tumor is considered to be a genetic mutation, which occurs due to some factors. In total, it is customary to distinguish three varieties of neoplasia:
- Tumors that arose due to a sudden somatic mutation.
- Neoplasms formed as a result of induced somatic mutation.
- Tumors that result from inherited genetic mutations.
Very often, these varieties of mutations can be combined with each other, and their various combinations are also likely. The main causes of such mutations are:
- Living in adverse environmental conditions, for example, with severe smoke smoke, with a large amount of chemical waste in water bodies, etc.
- Harmful work, for example in a chemical plant, in a nuclear plant.
- Frequent studies of the human body using x-rays.
- Violation of the diet, in particular the excessive consumption of genetically modified products, as well as semi-finished products.
- Various therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- A number of different immunodeficiency diseases.
- A number of endemic diseases.
- Malfunctioning hormonal system.
Diagnostic Methods
The oncological disease must be taken seriously. Oncologists never rule out the possibility of developing a primary multiple cancer. That is why they conduct additional diagnostic measures. For example, if a representative of the fair sex was diagnosed with cancer of the left or right breast, then doctors will regularly check the condition and the other. In addition, special attention is paid to the condition of the organs of the entire genitourinary system.
Those patients who suffer from cancer, should regularly visit a treating specialist, take the required tests and undergo the diagnosis prescribed by a specialist. As for diagnostic procedures, cancer can be determined using the following methods:
- Analysis of urine.
- Regular blood donation.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
- CT scan.
- X-ray
In parallel with this, oral history taking also plays an important role. An oncologist asks the patient about the duration of symptoms, intense soreness, possible causes for the development of such symptoms, as well as a genetic predisposition to a number of diseases. The specialist should also find out information about the patient’s daily life, the conditions of his work and the environmental conditions of the place where he lives. You should also ask the patient about the presence of immunodeficiency diseases and the state of the immune system.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis of malignant cancer is still often done only at a late stage of the disease. In most cases, this is due to the fact that patients turn to a specialist very late for help. Sometimes the disease does not manifest itself in any way, therefore, in the early stages, a person almost does not feel any strong changes in his own body.
Only at a late stage does the patient begin to feel unwell, complaining of pain, as well as a sharp deterioration of the whole condition. Sometimes, in the presence of certain symptoms, patients do not go to an oncologist, hoping that these signs will pass on their own soon. However, in this way they only complicate an already deplorable situation, and the disease begins to progress further.
Synchronous and metachron
If two or more tumors were found in the patient, or the second neoplasm was diagnosed within six months after the first, then in this case we are talking about synchronous cancer. If, after diagnosis, the second and subsequent tumors appeared 6-12 months after the detection of the first, then this indicates a metachronous form of cancer. In addition, in one patient, multiple tumors can be diagnosed sequentially repeatedly, sometimes after synchronous combination. In this case, they talk about synchronous-metachronous cancer or metachron-synchronous.
Primary multiple tumors are also divided into the following varieties:
- Malignant multiple neoplasms that arose on one organ.
- Malignant tumors that appear in symmetrical or paired organs, such as breasts or kidneys.
- Malignant tumors of different organs without specific systematization.
- Combinations of systemic and solid malignant tumors.
- The combination of malignant neoplasms with benign.
Therapy Features
Therapy of the primary multiple tumor should always be prescribed individually, taking into account some factors, for example:
- The nature of the tumor.
- Localization of neoplasms.
- The age of the patient.
- Stage of cancer.
- Intolerance to certain drugs.
Surgical intervention
It should be noted that specialists resort to surgical intervention only if other conservative methods of therapy are not able to bring positive dynamics, as well as if the stage of the disease is so advanced that it is not possible to achieve a positive result using only conservative methods of therapy.
Surgery refers to the removal of metastases and tumors. Surgical treatment of multiple tumors can be carried out simultaneously, that is, during the operation, all neoplasms and metastases are removed immediately. Such therapy can also be carried out in stages, in this case, only a few interventions are performed to remove the neoplasm.
Therapeutic treatment
As for the strategy of the therapeutic course of therapy, it will largely depend on the condition of the patient, because the main goal is to preserve the organ. Synchronous and metachronic cancer can be cured with the help of medications that are aimed at the treatment of cancer. These medicines should be prescribed purely individually, depending on the location of the tumor.
In addition, specialists prescribe immunostimulating drugs, as well as vitamin complexes, to patients to increase immunity. In parallel, painkillers are also prescribed, including on a narcotic basis.
Chemotherapy
In most cases, patients who suffer from cancer are prescribed chemotherapy. This procedure is a treatment with toxins or poisons that have a detrimental effect on existing malignant tumors.
Palliative care
It is customary to talk about this type of treatment only in cases where the removal of neoplasms has not led to a positive result. Using this method, you can reduce the pain symptoms of the disease, as well as provide psychological assistance to the patient and his family. The main goal of this type of therapy is to improve the quality of life of patients who suffer from fatal, severe, incurable diseases.
Conclusion
Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that the patient should follow all the recommendations of specialists, take prescribed medications and vitamin complexes, strengthen the immune system, eat a balanced diet, spend more time in the fresh air. You should also positively tune in to therapy.