However, doctors are now studying how the metastasized cancer may differ from the primary tumour at the genetic and molecular level. This difference is called intrapatient tumor heterogeneity.
Dr Aggarwal said that in most metastatic cancers which have spread, the source can be traced. Cancers of unknown primary or CUP accounts for up to 4 to 5 percent of all cancer diagnoses and can be classified into four categories: Adenocarcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Neuroendocrine carcinoma (differentiated or poorly differentiated) and poorly differentiated cancer. Accurate prediction of the tissue of origin using immunohistochemical staining and/or gene expression profiling is now possible in most CUP patients, and site-specific therapy based on these predictions is replacing empiric chemotherapy as the new treatment standard.
Diagnosis of metastatic cancer
Metastasis can develop while a patient had already seeked treatment for a cancer and is now following up for his care plan. On the other hand, it can also get diagnosed in the very first diagnosis of cancer.
Metastatic cancer treatment
The treatment for metastatic cancer depends on various factors as metastasis of different primary cancers are different. The factors that affect the treatment are:
- The primary cancer and its spot
- The extent of spread of that cancer
- Your age
A typical treatment of metastasis includes a type of chemotherapy, which may be replaced by another type if it does not work. Often, a patient may also be administered chemotherapy along with radiation and even surgery.
The treatment may be systemic, that is it may affect the entire body or it can be local, that is it will affect only the targeted area.
Is metastatic cancer curable?
In most of the cases, no. In some cases it may be cured but in most of the cases, metastatic cancer can only be slowed but is not curative. However, the patient may live for months and years with the cancer.
Alternative therapy for metastatic cancer
Metastatic cancer is most often advanced or stage IV (four) cancer. In such a critical and aggressive stage, the right administration of an effective treatment is really important. Many wonder if alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, ayurveda or homeopathy, will be more effective than the traditional chemo-radiation. To put it straight, there have been proven studies that showed the alternative treatments to be more effective or even equally so.
If a patient wants to take the alternative path, he must understand that it needs to be complemented with the mainstream cancer care, especially when the cancer has advanced and is stage three or four. Also, there have been cases when alternative therapies worked the other way round and harmed the cancer patient instead of helping him. These treatments have often been shown to hamper the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
Why cancer diagnosis gets delayed?
Dr Dinesh Aggarwal, Senior Technical Advisor - Health, Nutrition and WASH, IPE Global, says that in case of internal organs, the symptoms are not obvious, unlike that in case of breast, skin or bone cancer. Especially in case of a metastatic cancer, prognosis may get delayed. However, there is a ‘seven warning signs’ formula that he gave. If anyone witnesses any of the seven following changes, he must get himself screened for cancer:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent cough
- Change in bowel habits
- Blood coming from anus, in urine or from mouth
- Swallowing problems
- Unhealed or very slow healing of wounds
- A growing inflammation