Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

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juliej
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Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

Postby juliej » Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:37 pm

Ever been curious why CRC spreads to the liver?

A new study, published today in Nature, shows how a chain reaction involving hepatocytes creates the "soil" needed for cancer cells to "seed."

The seed-and-soil theory has been known for awhile, but they didn't know hepatocytes were the major originators of this process. Hepatocytes, which are the chief functional cells of the liver, sense inflammation and respond in a way that cancer uses to help it spread. That means potentially the process could be stopped by using antibodies that block IL-6 (interleukin 6), the "trigger" that drives the chain reaction.

It still doesn't explain why it doesn't go to the liver in some people and just heads straight for the lungs instead. Maybe there's some "pro-metastatic" process involved there too. However, I think this could lead to new therapies, which is always good! :D

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-03-cancer-frequently-liver.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1004-y (Unfortunately, just an abstract of the article)

Juliej
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

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CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

Postby CRguy » Thu Mar 07, 2019 11:42 pm

Great info JJ
thanks for posting !!!!

Just me I know ... BUTT the whole IL-6 thing with it being a PROmoter of inflammatory process and yet
an anti-inflammatory moiety involved in regeneration and renewal etc.
= Yin / Yang BALANCE

I did note though, that the articles really don't address the lymphatic flow which would bypass the abdominal vascularity via the thoracic duct ...
ergo why a lotta rectosigmoids met TO the chest as opposed to the more proximal large intestinal, colonic primaries, which met TO the liver.

ALWAYS on a learning Journey
"... just another brick in the wall... "

Cheers and Harmony sista'
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

lakeswim
Posts: 229
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:37 am

Re: Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

Postby lakeswim » Sun Mar 10, 2019 4:17 pm

I've been on this board for a good part of a year and I am continuously impressed with how smart some of you are. I'm no dummy, but you guys seem to grasp these concepts much easier than I do. (Do you have science backgrounds?) Thanks for sharing and for dumbing it down for some of us. :-)
Female - RC dgns @ 49 y
Adenocarcinoma
10-11 cm from anal verge ("large")
Stage 3a - T4N0M0
FOLFOX May -Sept 18
Capecetabine + Radiation - 28 sessions - Oct - Nov 18
Jan 19 - MRI & flex sig show tumor gone, Chest/ab CT no change
Feb 19 - MRI & flex sig show tumor gone
W&W (must travel)
.....W&W surveillance 2019,2020,2021,2022,2023....
Jan 24 - approaching 5 years this Spring with W&W surveillance to end.
*grateful*

Danielito82
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:53 pm

Re: Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

Postby Danielito82 » Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:06 am

Wow ...thanks for sharing! !!

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GrouseMan
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: Here's why cancer spreads to the liver

Postby GrouseMan » Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:16 am

lakeswim wrote:I've been on this board for a good part of a year and I am continuously impressed with how smart some of you are. I'm no dummy, but you guys seem to grasp these concepts much easier than I do. (Do you have science backgrounds?) Thanks for sharing and for dumbing it down for some of us. :-)


Yes some of us do have science back grounds. I spent 20 years doing drug discovery for the most part in Anti-Cancer drug research and now do cheminformatics / knowledge management. Unfortunately I don't have the same resources available to me that I once had to follow the research.

GrouseMan
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017


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