How does rectal cancer metastasize?

The treatment of rectal cancer requires a long process. Patients must maintain a good attitude and choose the right treatment method. Improper treatment will bring greater pain. So what is the metastasis method of rectal cancer ? The following is a detailed answer from relevant experts.

1. Local spread: First, it spreads within the intestinal wall. It takes about 2 years for the cancer to grow around the intestinal wall. After the cancer infiltrates into the muscular layer, it is easy to metastasize through the blood. The tumor can also invade the entire intestinal wall and even the organs around the intestine (such as the bladder, prostate, uterus, small intestine, liver, stomach, pancreas, etc.). This is a common way for rectal cancer to metastasize.

2. Lymphatic metastasis: accounting for 60%. Colon cancer cells pass through the intestinal wall through the submucosal lymphatic network → intestinal wall lymph nodes → paracolic lymph nodes → intermediate lymph nodes → central lymph nodes (main lymph nodes) → para-aortic lymph nodes → supraclavicular lymph nodes.

Rectal cancer cells travel along the intestinal wall lymphatic tract → para-intestinal lymph nodes → lymph nodes beside the superior rectal artery or sigmoid artery → lymph nodes beside the inferior mesenteric artery → lymph nodes beside the abdominal aorta → supraclavicular lymph nodes. The lymphatic drainage of the rectum is divided into two groups, upper and lower. The lower group is below the dentate line and flows into the inguinal lymph nodes through the perineum. Since the upper and lower groups of lymphatic networks have extensive anastomosis branches with each other, rectal cancer can also metastasize to the inguinal lymph nodes through the lymphatic tract.

3. Hematogenous metastasis: 34%, mostly to the liver, then the lungs, then the bones, brain, and ovaries. Very rarely to the adrenal glands or kidneys.

4. Implantation and metastasis: There are three common ways of implantation. One is that when cancer cells invade outside the serosa, the detached cancer cells are implanted in the abdominal and pelvic peritoneum to form cancer nodules. Another is that cancer cells from cancerous tissue in the intestinal cavity are detached and implanted in nearby mucosal damage. Implantation is impossible when the mucosa is intact, which may be one of the reasons why colorectal cancer often has multiple lesions. The third is iatrogenic implantation during surgery.

The above is an introduction to the metastasis of rectal cancer. Rectal cancer must be detected and treated early. If you want to know more about rectal cancer, please consult online experts.

For more information, please visit the rectal cancer disease special topic at http://www..com.cn/zhongliu/zca/ or consult an expert for free. The expert will then give a detailed answer based on the patient's specific situation.