In general, metastasis of gastric cancer have the following four kinds of ways, usually to lymph node metastasis and direct spread mainly in the blood line can be transferred later. In addition, cancer cells can be directly planted in the abdominal cavity.
Transfer pathway of gastric cancer (1) direct spread: stomach cancer after invasive growth to the depth direction, breaking the serosal layer, can be a direct violation of organs and tissues adjacent to the omentum, liver, pancreas, transverse colon is a common, followed by jejunum, diaphragm and even the abdominal wall. Have a direct relationship between the spread of radical surgical resection, and can generally spread to nearby organs, such as the liver, small and limited range can be surgically removed, the larger the scope of all surgical removal difficult.
Transfer pathway of gastric cancer (2) lymph node metastases: is gastric important way to spread, and occurs earlier. Followed by cancer growth, the deeper the more extensive violations of the stomach, the more chance of the transfer. According to the order of the transfer station or 3 divided into 3 groups. The first group (station) interval tumor recently, as the light affixed to the gastric lymph nodes, generally occurs when the gastric cancer confined to submucosa. The second group (stations) is superficial lymph nodes draining the deep group of lymph nodes, when the gastric muscle violations can occur when the second group of lymph node metastasis. The third group (stations), including celiac artery next to the abdominal aorta, hepatic portal, superior mesenteric artery root and the colon near the lymph nodes; also distant lymph node metastasis, as following supraclavicular lymph nodes. This group of cancer metastasis mostly occurs when serosal invasion. In general, the occurrence of lymph node metastasis when the third group have lost the opportunity to cure.
Metastasis of gastric cancer pathways (3) hematogenous metastasis: Department of gastric cancer patients can occur through blood cells or tumor thrombus to the systemic cycle of other organs. Can be transferred to the liver, lung, bone, kidney, spleen, brain, meninges, skin, can also be transferred to the ovary, the formation of ovarian Crew Ken Boge (Krukenberg)'s cancer or ovarian mucinous cell carcinoma. Hematogenous metastasis in gastric cancer and more, in addition to the primary tumor treatment, the need to treat metastasis.
Transfer pathway of gastric cancer (4) of intraperitoneal metastasis of gastric cancer cells: a few cases, stomach cancer breakthrough serosa, formed the cancer tissue necrosis, loss to other organs and peritoneum, can occur with implanted growth; advanced cancer peritonitis can occur , and bloody ascites, ascites can sometimes be found from the extracted cells. Metastasis occurred in patients are planted late, the treatment of difficult, often given intraperitoneal injection of chemotherapy drugs, but because of widespread metastasis, often only extend life forever, but not cured.