Pelé dies at age 82: understand the complications of the disease that affected the star

the former player Skin died, this Thursday (29), at the age of 82, as a result of multiple organ failureresulting from the progression of colon cancer metastatic, according to the medical bulletin released by the Albert Einstein Hospital. the eternal soccer king he had been hospitalized since November 29, in São Paulo. According to a report by Folha de S. Paulo, chemotherapy had been suspended since the beginning of December and the ace was in exclusive palliative care.

Pelé’s hospitalization happened after the former player presented a picture of anasarca (widespread swelling), a edemigenic syndrome (generalized oedema) and decompensated heart failure. Pelé had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021 and has since been undergoing treatment.

The former player’s tumor was in the metastasisthat is, in spread to other parts of the body, since the beginning of the year, according to ESPN. The athlete would then be treating tumors in the liver, lung and intestine.

In addition, according to a medical bulletin released by the Albert Einstein Hospital on December 21, Pelé’s health condition had deteriorated, requiring care related to kidney and heart dysfunction. The situation meant that his daughters, Kely and Flávia, spent Christmas in his hospital room.

“Admitted since November 29 for a reassessment of chemotherapy therapy for colon tumor and treatment of a respiratory infection, Edson Arantes do Nascimento presents progression of the oncological disease and requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions”, said the bulletin, signed by the doctors Fábio Nasri, Rene Gansl and Miguel Cendoroglo Neto.

What is metastasis and what are the complications?

Metastasis is the process by which a tumor spreads to different organs in the body, and can happen with all types of cancer. This happens when tumor cells leave the tissue of origin and move to another region of the body.

Read more: Metastatic lung cancer: what it is, causes and prevention

According to Manoel Carlos de Azevedo, an oncologist at Beneficio Portuguesa in São Paulo, metastases occur due to disordered, disoriented growth and without control factors of the primary tumor, as he previously told MinhaVida. This migration depends on the ability of the tumor to spread or infiltrate other organs.

A number of factors can cause metastasis to occur, such as the type of cancer, the grade, size and location of the primary tumor, the time the primary cancer has been in the body and response to previous treatments. This migration can occur via the bloodstream, lymphatics or direct invasion (when the organ invades another due to its size).

Among the possible complications, destruction of Organs affected organs is most common. If metastasis occurs in the liver and is not treated, liver failure may occur. Metastasis in the brain can lead to cerebral edema, while metastasis in the lung can trigger respiratory failure.