Metastasis, definition

Corticosteroids are a mainstay in the management of brain I metastases. They reduce edema that typically surrounds sites of metastasis, thereby reducing ICP. A loading dose of dexam-ethasone 10 mg followed by 4 mg by mouth or intravenously every 6 hours typically is used. Symptom relief may occur shortly after the loading dose, although the maximum benefit may not be seen for several days (after definitive therapy). 

Urdal, D. L., Kawase, I. and Henney, C. S. (1982). NK cell-target interactions approaches toward definition of recognition structures. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 

Even though the tissue of origin of most metastases can be ascertained with the panel approach of CKs, CEA, EMA, and vimentin, there remains a subset of neoplasms that do not readily lend themselves to definitive identification. The use of additional antibodies to cell-specific products in most instances has a high specificity for certain tissues, enabling the pathologist to fine focus the search for the origin of a metastasis. 

One of the major questions raised by CSC hypothesis is whether or not current therapies are in fact targeting the right cells. As discussed above, it has been speculated that CSCs have the ability to avoid or resist current cancer therapies, although this has yet to be definitively proven in the clinical setting. In addition, CSCs may play an important role in tumor metastasis and dormancy. So, the idea that cancers could be effectively treated by selectively targeting CSCs and their microenviromnental niche, which contributes to self-renewal of these cells, has attracted tremendous clinical interest [81]. 

In medicine, carcinoma is any cancer that arises from epithelial cells. It is malignant by definition carcinomas invade surrounding tissues and organs, and may spread (metastasis). 

Yao M, Smith RB, Graham MM, Hoffman HT, Tan H, Funk GF, Graham SM, Chang K, Dornfield KJ, Menda Y, Buatti JM (2005) The role of FDG PET in management of neck metastasis from head-and-neck cancer after definitive radiation treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 65 991-999... 

Fig. 2.5.10a-d. Unenhanced MR images shows a colorectal metastasis in the right liver lobe (a). Angiographic imaging after chemoembolization showed a second lesion (arrow) and high lipiodol uptake in the treated lesions (b). After the third course of TACE, shrinking of the lesion could be archived (c). Contrast-enhanced MR imaging after 8 weeks shows necrosis (arrow) of the lesion (d). Nevertheless, residual tumor in the periphery cannot be excluded definitely... 

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