C78: Secondary malignant neoplasm of respiratory and digestive organs
C78.1: Secondary malignant neoplasm of mediastinum
The tissue in the body is made up of cells. With cancer, the cells multiply uncontrollably, which leads to a malignant neoplasm (abnormal growth of tissue) developing. The cancer cells can destroy the healthy tissue and spread throughout the body.
The cancer cells have spread in your body and multiplied at another site. These are called metastases.
The lungs are on the left and right side of the ribcage. They are also connected to the nose and mouth via the bronchial tubes and windpipe (trachea). You need lungs to breathe. When we breathe in, oxygen enters the lungs and accumulates in the blood. This blood then flows to the heart. The heart then pumps the oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. All of the organs are supplied with oxygen as a result. We have 2 lungs. Various organs lie between the lungs, such as the heart, trachea (windpipe) and oesophagus (gullet). These organs are surrounded by connective tissue.
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