Question

Define metastasis. Suggest three early diagnostic symptoms or danger signals of cancer.

Answer 1

Metastasis is a complex process that involves the spread of a tumor or cancer to a distant part of the body from its original site.

Three early diagnostic symptoms are :

• Cancer detection is based on biopsy and histopathological studies of the tissue and blood and bone marrow tests for increased cell counts in the case of leukemias. In a biopsy, a piece of the suspected tissue cut into thin sections us stained and examined under a microscope.

• Antibodies against cancer-specific antigens are also used for the detection of certain cancers.

• Techniques of molecular biology can be applied to detect genes in individuals with inherited susceptibility to certain cancers.