Carcinoid tumor is a rare type of tumor that usually grows slowly. Carcinoid tumors are cancerous, but have been called cancer in slow motion, because if you have a carcinoid tumor, you may have it for many years and never know it.
Most malignant tumors that metastasize do so within five years after the primary tumor has been detected, so this raises the question of how one can explain “dormancy” among tumor cells for decades.
The lungs. The lungs are the most common organ for cancers to spread to. This is because the blood from most parts of the body flows back to the heart and then to the lungs. Cancer cells that have entered the bloodstream can get stuck in the small blood vessels (capillaries) of the lungs.
Symptoms of Metastatic Cancer
pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the bone. headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the brain. shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung. jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver.
So, a cell dividing at this rate can grow large in a relatively short time. The time it takes for a lung cancer tumor to grow to this stage is generally 3 – 6 months. This is the smallest size at which the tumor can be detected, but often learning of lung cancer takes years of cellular development.
As the cancer grows, it squeezes and blocks small blood vessels in the area. Low blood and oxygen levels cause some of the normal tissue to die off. This makes it easier for the cancer to continue to push its way through.
Although the overall prognosis may be poor based on cases with previous patients and older treatments, many patients with stage 4 cancer can live for years. A few factors to keep in mind: Many treatments are available to help fight cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma
These cancers usually develop on sun-exposed areas, especially the face, head, and neck. They tend to grow slowly. It's very rare for a basal cell cancer to spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer survival rates by cancer type
The cancers with the lowest five-year survival estimates are mesothelioma (7.2%), pancreatic cancer (7.3%) and brain cancer (12.8%). The highest five-year survival estimates are seen in patients with testicular cancer (97%), melanoma of skin (92.3%) and prostate cancer (88%).
Lung and bronchus cancer is responsible for the most deaths with 130,180 people expected to die from this disease. That is nearly three times the 52,580 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death. Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest cancer, causing 49,830 deaths.
Some cancers are difficult to treat and have high rates of recurrence. Glioblastoma, for example, recurs in nearly all patients, despite treatment. The rate of recurrence among patients with ovarian cancer is also high at 85%.
(uh-GREH-siv) In medicine, describes a tumor or disease that forms, grows, or spreads quickly. It may also describe treatment that is more severe or intense than usual.
Cancers that have spread are often thought of as advanced when they can't be cured or controlled with treatment. Not all metastatic cancers are advanced cancers. Some cancers, such as testicular cancer, can spread to other parts of the body and still be very curable.
In some situations, metastatic cancer can be cured. But for most metastatic cancers, treatment does not cure the cancer but it can slow its growth and reduce symptoms. It is possible to live for many months or years with certain types of cancer, even after the development of metastatic disease.
Curable Cancers: Prostate, Thyroid, Testicular, Melanoma, Breast.
Research now suggests that chronic stress can actually make cancer spread faster. Stress can speed up the spread of cancer throughout the body, especially in ovarian, breast and colorectal cancer. When the body becomes stressed, neurotransmitters like norepinephrine are released, which stimulate cancer cells.
Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis comes out of the blue, with no symptoms at all. But more often, there are various symptoms that may be warning signs of the disease. Johns Hopkins gastroenterologist Anne Marie Lennon, M.D., Ph. D. , wants you to pay attention to your body.
Expert answer. Dear PJ: The answer to your question is yes.