Understanding How Cancer Spreads and How It May Be Stopped

In a special issue of Science magazine, published last month, the latest findings on how cancer cells metastasize from primary to distant sites are highlighted in a number of reviews and perspective articles that outline the latest advances in understanding the process of metastasis, and also how it could be stopped. 

The articles covered how tumors change genetically as they grow and then metastasize, the data that has been collected across different cancer types that show that metastases can follow several different patterns, cancer cells derived from the primary tumor can work both competitively and cooperatively with each other during metastasis and sometimes even reseeding the original tumor, and cancer cells can act collectively rather than as single cells. 

These article findings are critical insights, as metastatic disease remains largely incurable and represents the main cause of cancer-related deaths. 

Oklahoma CyberKnife treats metastatic cancer with the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System®.  The CyberKnife system is a painless, nonsurgical, outpatient cancer treatment with minimal to no side effects.  It is able to deliver very high doses of radiation to metastatic tumors with extreme accuracy.  CyberKnife allows physicians to zero in on the target tumor and irradiate it without harming the healthy surrounding tissue.  As a result, the CyberKnife treatment is more comfortable for patients, radiation is delivered more accurately, and treatments can be completed in one to five sessions.  Also, areas that have already had radiation therapy may be eligible for CyberKnife treatment. 

If you, or a loved one, have recently been diagnosed with metastatic cancer, knowing your treatment options, including a second opinion, is important.  Contact Oklahoma CyberKnife today to learn more about metastatic cancer, what areas of the body are most often treated for metastatic cancer, and how metastatic cancer is treated with CyberKnife technology.  

To read the issue in its entirety, please click here.