Lung cancer spreading to other parts of the body signifies that the disease has developed to a critical stage. When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is always difficult to treat successfully. Lung cancer discovered at an early stage can easily be get rid of, but it is not always the case as lung cancer is always difficult to detect except when it has reached the stage where it spreads to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads to other parts of the body it is termed as metastasis, and this always occurs when cancer cells break away from their original location where they began. The cancer tumor at the original location is called primary tumor, while the tumor at the new location is called secondary tumor
However, there are three main ways through which lung cancer spreads to other parts of the lung. The three ways are
- Tissue
The tissues around the lungs are easily affected especially when they are close to the primary. Cancer spreading through tissues always occur when cancer cells spread into nearby areas. The tissue is one of the easiest ways cancer tumor spreads to nearby organs that are close to the primary tumor.
- Lymph system
Cancer spreading through the lymph system occurs when the cancer from the original location moves into the lymph system and it has been transported through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
- Blood
Spreading of cancer through the blood is the fastest means through which cancer spreads to other parts of the body. The spreading occurs when cancer from the original location moves into the blood and travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body. When the cancer gets to other location, it forms a tumor and continues the abnormal growth process.