Carcinosis

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Carcinosis, or carcinomatosis, is disseminated cancer, forms of metastasis, whether used generally or in specific patterns of spread.

Contents

Usage

Carcinomatosis is often restricted to tumors of epithelial origin, adenocarcinomas, while sarcomatosis describes the dissemination of tumors of mesenchymal origin, sarcomas. [1]

Lung

Lymphangitic carcinomatosis

When most tumors metastasize to the lung, they form distinct nodules, but about 7% spread through the lymph vessels of the lung. [2] They may impair breathing in several ways; the lung becomes stiffer; blood vessels traveling alongside the distended lymph vessels become compressed. [3]

Miliary carcinosis

A pattern of multiple small nodular metastases has been described as miliary carcinosis which has a radiographic appearance similar to miliary tuberculosis. [4]

Body cavities

Any potential space may be seeded with tumor cells that grow along surfaces, but which may not invade below the surfaces. In rare cases, the joint spaces are affected. [5]

Peritoneal carcinomatosis

Intestines with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer, appearing as a grainy serosal surface Intestines with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer.jpg
Intestines with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer, appearing as a grainy serosal surface

The lining of the abdominal cavity is a common site for surface dissemination. Ovarian carcinomas are common. Fluid produced by the cells can produce ascites which is typical in carcinomatosis, but less common in peritoneal sarcomatosis. [1] Fluid can be serous as seen in primary peritoneal carcinoma or mucinous such as found in pseudomyxoma peritonei which is typically a tumor derived from the appendix. [6]

Pleural carcinosis

Pleural carcinosis is associated with malignant pleural effusion and poor prognosis. [7]

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

The meningeal covering of the central nervous system may be the site of tumor growth. Breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma are the most common tumors. [8]

Treatment

Colorectal cancer patients with peritoneal involvement can be treated with oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based chemotherapy. Such treatment is not expected to be curative, but can extend the lives of patients. [9] Some patients may be cured through hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, but the procedure entails a high degree of risk for morbidity or death.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metastasis</span> Spread of a disease inside a body

Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then, are metastases (mets). It is generally distinguished from cancer invasion, which is the direct extension and penetration by cancer cells into neighboring tissues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesothelioma</span> Cancer associated with asbestos

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs. The area most commonly affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining of the abdomen and rarely the sac surrounding the heart, or the sac surrounding the testis may be affected. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may include shortness of breath due to fluid around the lung, a swollen abdomen, chest wall pain, cough, feeling tired, and weight loss. These symptoms typically come on slowly.

Radiology (X-rays) is used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Abnormalities on chest radiographs may be suggestive of, but are never diagnostic of TB, but can be used to rule out pulmonary TB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pseudomyxoma peritonei</span> Medical condition

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a clinical condition caused by cancerous cells that produce abundant mucin or gelatinous ascites. The tumors cause fibrosis of tissues and impede digestion or organ function, and if left untreated, the tumors and mucin they produce will fill the abdominal cavity. This will result in compression of organs and will destroy the function of the colon, small intestine, stomach, or other organs. Prognosis with treatment in many cases is optimistic, but the disease is lethal if untreated, with death occurring via cachexia, bowel obstruction, or other types of complications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor</span> Aggressive and rare cancer

Desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor (DSRCT) is an aggressive and rare cancer that primarily occurs as masses in the abdomen. Other areas affected may include the lymph nodes, the lining of the abdomen, diaphragm, spleen, liver, chest wall, skull, spinal cord, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, brain, lungs, testicles, ovaries, and the pelvis. Reported sites of metastatic spread include the liver, lungs, lymph nodes, brain, skull, and bones. It is characterized by the EWS-WT1 fusion protein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papillary thyroid cancer</span> Medical condition

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer, representing 75 percent to 85 percent of all thyroid cancer cases. It occurs more frequently in women and presents in the 20–55 year age group. It is also the predominant cancer type in children with thyroid cancer, and in patients with thyroid cancer who have had previous radiation to the head and neck. It is often well-differentiated, slow-growing, and localized, although it can metastasize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lymphangiomatosis</span> Medical condition

Lymphangiomatosis is a condition where a lymphangioma is not present in a single localised mass, but in a widespread or multifocal manner. It is a rare type of tumor which results from an abnormal development of the lymphatic system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omental cake</span> Medical condition

Omental cake is a radiologic sign indicative of an abnormally thickened greater omentum. It refers to infiltration of the normal omental structure by other types of soft-tissue or chronic inflammation resulting in a thickened, or cake-like appearance.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leptomeningeal cancer</span> Medical condition

Leptomeningeal cancer is a rare complication of cancer in which the disease spreads from the original tumor site to the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This leads to an inflammatory response, hence the alternative names neoplastic meningitis (NM), malignant meningitis, or carcinomatous meningitis. The term leptomeningeal describes the thin meninges, the arachnoid and the pia mater, between which the cerebrospinal fluid is located. The disorder was originally reported by Eberth in 1870. It is also known as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, leptomeningeal disease (LMD), leptomeningeal metastasis, meningeal metastasis and meningeal carcinomatosis.

Pleural disease occurs in the pleural space, which is the thin fluid-filled area in between the two pulmonary pleurae in the human body. There are several disorders and complications that can occur within the pleural area, and the surrounding tissues in the lung.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix is best defined separately:Neuroendocrine: Of, relating to, or involving the interaction between the nervous system and the hormones of the endocrine glands.Carcinoma: An invasive malignant tumor derived from epithelial tissue that tends to metastasize to other areas of the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy</span>

Intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion is a type of hyperthermia therapy used in combination with surgery in the treatment of advanced abdominal cancers. In this procedure, warmed anti-cancer medications are infused and circulated in the peritoneal cavity (abdomen) for a short period of time. The chemotherapeutic agents generally infused during IPHC are mitomycin-C and cisplatin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asbestos-related diseases</span> Medical condition

Asbestos-related diseases are disorders of the lung and pleura caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. Asbestos-related diseases include non-malignant disorders such as asbestosis, diffuse pleural thickening, pleural plaques, pleural effusion, rounded atelectasis and malignancies such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.

Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITOC) is part of a surgical strategy employed in the treatment of various pleural malignancies. The pleura in this situation could be considered to include the surface linings of the chest wall, lungs, mediastinum, and diaphragm. HITOC is the chest counterpart of HIPEC. Traditionally used in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, a primary malignancy of the pleura, this modality has recently been evaluated in the treatment of secondary pleural malignancies.

GL-ONC1 is an investigational therapeutic product consisting of the clinical grade formulation of the laboratory strain GLV-1h68, an oncolytic virus developed by Genelux Corporation. GL-ONC1 is currently under evaluation in Phase I/II human clinical trials in the United States and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quadrilateral space syndrome</span> Medical condition

Quadrilateral space syndrome is a rotator cuff denervation syndrome in which the axillary nerve is compressed at the quadrilateral space of the rotator cuff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aortopulmonary space</span>

The aortopulmonary space is a small space between the aortic arch and the pulmonary artery. It contains the ligamentum arteriosum, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, lymph nodes, and fatty tissue. The space is bounded anteriorly by the ascending aorta, posteriorly by the descending aorta, medially by the left main bronchus, and laterally by mediastinal pleura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma</span> Medical condition

Limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma (LS-SCLC) is a type of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) that is confined to an area which is small enough to be encompassed within a radiation portal. This generally includes cancer to one side of the lung and those might have reached the lymph nodes on the same side of the lung. 33% patients with small cell lung cancer are diagnosed with limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma when it is first found. Common symptoms include but are not limited to persistent cough, chest pain, rust-coloured sputum, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, wheezing, hoarseness and recurrent respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Nervous system problems, Cushing syndrome and SIADH can also be associated with small cell lung cancer. Unlike extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma is potentially curable. Standard treatments consist of surgery, platinum-based combination chemotherapy, thoracic irradiation, and prophylactic cranial irradiation. Patient five-year survival rate has significantly increased from 1% with surgery to 26% after the application of combination chemotherapy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy paving (medicine)</span> Medical sign on CT of the chest

Crazy paving refers to a pattern seen on computed tomography of the chest, involving lobular septal thickening with variable alveolar filling. The finding is seen in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and other diseases. Its name comes from its resemblance to irregular paving stones, called crazy pavings.

References

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  2. Prakash, P.; Kalra, M. K.; Sharma, A.; Shepard, J.-A. O.; Digumarthy, S. R. (2009). "FDG PET/CT in Assessment of Pulmonary Lymphangitic Carcinomatosis". American Journal of Roentgenology. 194 (1): 231–236. doi:10.2214/AJR.09.3059. ISSN   0361-803X. PMID   20028927.
  3. Mark A. Marinella (7 May 2009). "12. Lymphangitic carcinomatosis". Handbook of Cancer Emergencies. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 55–57. ISBN   978-0-7637-6989-5 . Retrieved 29 February 2012.
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  9. Joerg O W Pelz, Terence C. Chua, Jesus Esquivel, et al. BMC Cancer, Volume 10, Published - Dec 22 2010. https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/evaluation-of-best-supportive-care-and-systemic-chemotherapy-as-t-3