What is Metastatic Colorectal Cancer?

 

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the colon or the rectum. It is the third leading cause of death from cancer in the United States.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum; these cancers can also be named colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Also, most colorectal cancers (CRCs) start as a growth on the inner lining of the colon or rectum; these growths are called polyps.

Cancer cells may break away from a tumour in the colon or rectum and spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. These cells may settle and form new tumours on a different organ. Even though cancer has spread to a new organ, it is still named after the part of the body where it originally started.

Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treatment

So colorectal cancer that spreads, or metastasizes, to the lungs, liver or any other organ is called metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

The symptoms of CRC include changes in bowel habits, diarrhoea or constipation, a feeling that the bowel does not empty properly after a bowel movement, blood in faeces that makes stools look black, bright red blood coming from the rectum, pain and bloating in the abdomen, fatigue or tiredness, unexplained weight loss, unexplained iron deficiency in men, or women after menopause.

However, the symptoms of mCRC depend on where cancer has spread and the size of the metastatic tumour load, for instance, jaundice or abdominal swelling, when cancer has spread to the liver, shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung, bone pain and fractures when cancer has spread to the bone dizziness and/or headache, or seizures, when cancer has spread to the brain.

While the most common site of metastases, for colon or rectal cancer, is the liver, CRC cells may also spread to the lungs, bones, brain or spinal cord. Besides, mCRC is different from recurrent colorectal cancer.

Source:- What is Metastatic Colorectal Cancer