Metastatic cancer: Everything you need to know about the disease Sonali Bendre is fighting

Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre recently opened up about the unexpected diagnosis of metastatic cancer. The 43-year-old took to Twitter to share a heartfelt note, saying 'life throws you a curveball' when you least expect it.

The actress is currently undergoing treatment in New York.

Sometimes, when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with a high grade cancer that has metastised, which we frankly did not see coming. A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis. My family and close friends have rallied around me, providing the best support system that anyone can ask for. I am very blessed and thankful for each of them. There is no better way to tackle this, than to take swift and immediate action. And so, as advised by my doctors, I am currently undergoing a course of treatment in New York. We remain optimistic and I am determined to fight every step of the way. What has helped has been the immense outpouring of love and support I’ve received over the past few days, for which I am very grateful. I’m taking this battle head on, knowing I have the strength of my family and friends behind me.

A post shared by Sonali Bendre (@iamsonalibendre) on Jul 3, 2018 at 11:46pm PDT

While cancer is the dreadful 'C' word that terrifies patients and family members, it is important to know about it before it metastasizes. Here's everything you must know about the deadly disease Bendre is fighting.

What is metastatic cancer?
Also known as high-grade cancer, it spreads to every body part from the primary tumour. This happens when cancer cells break away from a tumour and travel to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or via blood. Lymph vessels are similar to blood vessels. The only difference is that they carry clear fluid and immune system cells.

'High-grade cancer' indicates the aggressive biological behaviour of the disease.

How metastatic cancer spreads?
Mostly, cancer cells that break off travel through the bloodstream. If the cells travel through the lymph system, they could end up in nearby lymph nodes (small, bean-sized collections of immune cells) or they could spread to other organs.

While many cells die, but some still settle in a new area, grow, and form new tumours. The spread of cancer to a new body part is called metastasis.

Once the cancer cells go through steps to spread to a new body part, the cells that start new tumours may no longer be exactly the same as the ones in the tumour they started in. This might make them harder to treat.

Why cancer cells spreads to certain body parts?
Most cancer cells that break free from the original tumour are carried in the blood or lymph system until they get trapped in the next "downstream" organ or set of lymph nodes. Once the cells are there, they can start to grow and form new tumours.

For example: breast cancer often spreads to underarm lymph nodes, but rarely to lymph nodes in the groin. Likewise, there are many cancers that commonly spread to the lungs because the heart pumps blood from the rest of the body through the lungs' blood vessels before sending it elsewhere.

Signs and symptoms
The 'Sarforosh' actress said in her Twitter post that she did not experience symptoms of the cancer. 'A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis', read her note.

Many cancers are not detected or do not cause symptoms until advanced stages, making it challenging to treat the condition. Symptoms of advanced stage cause multiple system complications. However, if you experience pain, show it to a doctor immediately. Fractures are common when the cancer spreads to bones. You will experience shortness of breath if the cancer spreads to the lungs. If the cancer cells have travelled and developed in the brain, you may feel dizzy, and experience headaches and seizures. If the cancer has affected your liver, it may lead to jaundice or bloating/swelling in the belly.


Metastatic cancer can only be diagnosed once all the investigations related to Tumour, Node and Metastasis (TNM) are done.

Diagnosis and Treatment
Sometimes the metastatic tumours begin to grow when the cancer is first found and diagnosed. In some cases, a metastasis may be found before the original (primary) tumour is found. If a cancer has already spread to many places, it may be very hard to figure out where it started.

For example: a person with breast cancer that has spread to the bones is said to have a Stage 4 breast cancer with bone metastases. If a cancer has spread widely throughout the body before the primary is discovered it is termed as 'cancer of unknown primary origin'.

Advances in cancer therapy are crucial to prolong survival of the patient, and ensure maintenance of quality of life. It is imperative to not only treat the primary source of cancer/tumour, but also metastasis in order to achieve tangible results. Immmunotherapy, groundbreaking advance, harnesses the power of cells of the immune system and trains them to specifically attack cancerous cells.

(Inputs from Dr Adwait Gore, Medical Oncologist from Zen Hospital and www.cancer.org)