Content Sources:
1. Zhang Boli, Chen Kaixian, Wang Xin. (2018). "Diagnosis and treatment of common skin diseases". Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House.
2. Liu Siqin, Zhang Ming, Li Bin. (2016). "Dermatology". Beijing: Scientific and Technical Literature Press.
3. Zhao Yujie, Yang Mei, Ren Shuping. (2019). "Prevention and care of skin diseases". Beijing: China International Translation & Publishing Corporation.
Jiang Ying, a 28-year-old native of Nanning, is an ordinary girl who has been in good health since she was a child and almost never gets sick. She has a stable job and lives a simple but fulfilling life. However, the good times did not last long, and about half a year ago, Jiang Ying's life suddenly fell into chaos.
It all started when she noticed her skin. At first, Jiang Ying just found that there were some small bumps on her skin, these small bumps came and went, and at first glance they didn't seem to be serious, just like ordinary skin allergic reactions. But as time went on, the situation got worse. Whenever you take a bath, these bumps not only do not disappear, but become red and swollen and even bleed due to the stimulation of the water.
This situation made Jiang Ying feel very uncomfortable and troubled, and she began to look for medical advice everywhere. At first, the doctors also thought it was just some inconspicuous skin disease, and prescribed some ointments and medicines to relieve her symptoms. Jiang Ying took medicine according to the doctor's instructions, but the situation did not improve, but became worse day by day.
Skin diseases are a broad group of diseases that affect the human skin, with a variety of manifestations that reflect the multiple possibilities of a physical health condition. Often, manifestations of skin diseases can be identified by looking at the appearance of the skin, including changes in color, texture, and other abnormalities in the skin.
First of all, rash is a very common manifestation of skin disease and can be a sign of various diseases. The rash can appear as spots, patches that vary in color, size, and shape. They may be itchy, tingling, or not sensational. Some rashes will subside in a short time, but they may also be a manifestation of a chronic or systemic disease, such as eczema, psoriasis, etc.
Secondly, dry and flaky skin is also one of the common manifestations. Dry skin can be caused by a variety of reasons, including climatic factors, bathing habits, poor nutrition, etc. In some cases, dryness can lead to impaired skin barrier function, making the skin more susceptible to external irritants and infections. Peeling can be a direct consequence of dryness or a symptom of other skin conditions such as fungal infections or autoimmune diseases.
In addition, pigmentation or changes are also a common manifestation of skin diseases. Excessive pigmentation may lead to spots or patches on the skin, such as pigmented nevi, melasma, etc.; Hypopigmentation, on the other hand, can lead to white patches on the skin, such as those caused by vitiligo. Pigment changes can be influenced by genetics, light exposure, hormone levels, and certain medications and chemicals.
Jiang Ying's skin problems gradually affected her daily life and work, and she began to become anxious and depressed. She didn't dare to wear short sleeves, didn't dare to go to crowded places, for fear that others would see her skin, for fear of attracting strange eyes and unwarranted suspicion.
After going through several hospitals and countless diagnoses, doctors were never able to give a definitive diagnosis. Until one day, Jiang Ying got acquainted with a senior dermatologist, and after a series of complex examinations and rigorous analysis, the truth finally surfaced - it turned out that there was a rare malignant cancer hidden in her body!
This result was like a thunderbolt from the sky, instantly shattering all of Jiang Ying's hopes. Knowing that she was suffering from terminal cancer, Jiang Ying felt unprecedented fear and despair. She recalled the pain and helplessness of these days, and her heart was full of regret and uneasiness.
But Jiang Ying did not give up, she chose to face it bravely. Jiang Ying began to receive treatment, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed. Although the process was extremely painful, Jiang Ying always maintained an optimistic attitude. But Rao was like this, and the claws of death did not let her go, and she passed away a year later. And the root cause of all this comes from this kind of cancer, which is insidious but extremely easy to metastasize.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly malignant lung tumor with a rapid rate of progression, a high possibility of early metastasis, and a difficult treatment process. The main reasons why SCLC is hidden and easy to transfer are as follows:
1. Rapid growth and early metastasis: Small cell lung cancer has an extremely rapid rate of cell division, and the growth rate of the tumor is much faster than that of other types of lung cancer. This rapid rate of growth means that small cell lung cancer tends to be at a relatively late stage when it is detected. At the same time, the cells of SCLC have a high tendency to metastasize, rapidly spreading to other parts of the body through the bloodstream and lymphatic system.
2. Insidiousness: The initial stage of small cell lung cancer often has no obvious symptoms, or the symptoms are non-specific, such as cough, sputum production, etc., which is similar to ordinary respiratory diseases and is easy to be ignored. When tumors are located deep in the lungs, they are not easily detected by routine imaging tests in the early stages. In addition, even when a physical examination is performed, tumors are often misdiagnosed or missed due to their small size.
3. Biological characteristics: The molecular characteristics of SCLC cells are very different from those of normal cells, but they can effectively use the body's biological mechanisms, such as angiogenesis, inhibition of apoptosis, etc., to promote their own growth and survival. This ability allows SCLC to not only grow rapidly but also effectively evade the body's immune surveillance, which in turn leads to early metastasis and treatment failure.
4. Adaptability of the tumor microenvironment: SCLC is able to alter its surrounding microenvironment to make it more conducive to tumor growth and metastasis. For example, by secreting certain factors, it changes the behavior of surrounding cells, promotes angiogenesis, and provides sufficient nutrients and oxygen for tumors. At the same time, this altered microenvironment can also promote tumor cells to detach from their original location and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
5. Multidrug resistance: Although SCLC is initially sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it can quickly develop resistance to multiple therapeutic drugs. This resistance makes treatment extremely difficult and increases the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis.
In summary, the insidious and metastatic nature of small cell lung cancer is the result of its rapid growth rate, early absence of obvious symptoms, unique biological characteristics, adaptive adjustment to the microenvironment, and multidrug resistance to treatment. The interaction of these factors makes small cell lung cancer an extremely difficult malignancy to diagnose and treat.