Liver Metastasis or Secondary Liver Cancer- Symptoms, Causes, and Life cycle of a Tumor

If a person has hepatitis infection, or is suffering from cirrhosis, or has some other ailment, and thus gets affected by cancer in the liver, that’s the Primary kind.

Secondary Liver Cancer, also known as liver metastasis, is the outcome of a prevailing cancerous spurt located somewhere else in the body that has spread to the liver and contributed to a similar tumor in there.

How Does a Metastatic Tumour Attack Your Liver?

The human liver is a marvelously vital organ. It handles over 500 basic and advanced functions including blood detoxification, proteins, bile, & enzyme synthesis, and glycogen storage.

It can regenerate its dead cells and grow back to full size from less than one-fourth of its sound remains. It won't be an exaggeration at all if one says that humans need their liver to survive.

However, even when the liver is healthy, cancer from some other body part can affect it. All the blood flows past the liver for detoxification and nutrient absorption purposes. If a person already has lung cancer, for instance, then it is possible for the cancerous cells to reach the liver from the lungs via the bloodstream.

In such a case, the tumor growing in the liver would be made up of lung cells, as opposed to liver cells in the case of Primary Liver Cancer. Common cancers that can give rise to liver metastasis include stomach, pancreas, ovaries, lungs, rectum. Colon, breast, skin, and uterus.

How to Recognise the Symptoms of Liver Metastasis?

It’s possible for all signs to be absent in the early stages of Secondary Liver Cancer. As the tumor advances and spreads around, it causes the loss of liver functionality, thus giving rise to symptoms, faint at first and raging as cancer expands.

Losing appetite, weight, and mental clarity could be the signs of liver cancer. Other common indications include nausea, bloated abdomen, jaundice, shoulder pain, abdominal pain, sweats, fever, and dark urine. You may also be able to feel a lump on the right side of your belly, where your liver is supposed to be located.

Lifecycle of a Metastatic Cancer Invasion

Most cases of Secondary Liver Cancer follow six phases of development. First is the local invasion where affected cells begin seeping into the tissues around the primary cancer site. Then intravasation occurs. The cells start traveling through the body via blood vessels and lymph nodes.

The third phase involves the cancer cells migrating along the body through the bloodstream as well as the lymphatic system. Once they reach a distant spot, the fourth phase begins, and they move from the central blood network into the capillaries.

The fifth phase is when the cancer cells settle into the tissue they’ve migrated to and begin growing on the tissues. The sixth step is angiogenesis. Since the now-migrated tumor cells are tiny, they cause the creation of new blood vessels around them to supply nutrients and oxygen and support their growth.

What Does Metastatic Cancer Mean?

In a case where primary cancer of some other organ has spread to the liver, chances often fall in favour of advanced stages. While there are treatments available for higher forms of cancer cells, outcomes often depend on the prognosis and the efficiency and efficacy of the medical care team.