Question

1) research a specific tumor and explain how metastasis occurs through the vascular system, lymphatic system, and implantation for that particular tumor

2) Provide various serum sodium levels and glucose levels, and have students practice determining blood osmolality and determining whether a water deficit or excess is present.

Answer 1

1).

The characteristic of cancer cells is, uncontrolled cell division and their rate of cell division are typically higher than the normal cells. If the cell division goes uncontrolled, the cell size increases uncontrolled, develop new blood vessels and drags nutrition from the surround tissues, this process is known as “angiogenesis.”

The process of invasion of cancer cells released from the primary tumor into the other body organs (a secondary tumor) through the bloodstream is known as “metastasis.” Upon metastasis, the malignant cells spread to different tissues and collapse the total system.

Basement membrane contains blood supply around them, so if the cancer cells pass through the basement membrane, they can enter into the bloodstream, which is a key event in metastasis. The epithelial cells (common sites of origin of cancer cells) are separated from the other tissues by means of the basement membrane. The cancer cells release the metalloproteinases (MMPs), which digest the basement membrane and extracellular matrix and make the cancer cells to penetrate through the basement membrane. Then the cells invade the other organs to grow. For example, the tumors of mammary glands spread in this way.