The NIH estimates that by 2025, an alarming 2 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer. According to their statistics, “breast, lung and bronchus, prostate, and colorectal cancers make up nearly 50% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.,” while “lung and bronchus, colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers account for almost 50% of all cancer-related deaths.”

Dr. Paulien Moyaert explains that it’s often not the cancer itself that causes death, but the side effects it triggers within the body.

On her YouTube channel, Dr. Moyaert shared a shocking 3D simulation of the stages of cancer and how it leads to death. The 4-minute video begins by explaining the most lethal form of cancer: metastatic cancer, in which a single cell breaks away, migrates, and forms a new tumor that can invade any organ, ultimately preventing it from functioning and causing death.

“If the cancer grows in a part of the digestive system, it can block food digestion and absorption, as well as hinder the expulsion of feces, potentially leading to perforation, which can be fatal if surgery is not performed,” Dr. Moyaert states.

Furthermore, her simulation demonstrates that when cancer spreads to the pancreatic ducts, it causes the pancreas to “digest itself.” This process makes pancreatic cancer the deadliest and most painful form of cancer.

Patients with lung cancer can die from asphyxiation, which occurs when the body doesn’t receive enough oxygen.

The second leading cause of death in cancer patients is infections. “Cancer weakens the immune system,” the video explains, “and chemotherapy exacerbates the problem by suppressing bone marrow—the site where white blood cells are produced.” Both chemotherapy and the “infiltration of cancer cells” into bone marrow can impair its function.

“When cancer spreads to the bone marrow, it leads to insufficient healthy bone marrow to produce blood cells,” the simulation explains.

This results in anemia, a decrease in white blood cells—which are vital for fighting infections and controlling bacteria—and a reduction in platelets, which are responsible for clotting and controlling bleeding.

Cancer patients can also suffer from cachexia, a serious condition that causes muscle loss, affecting around 50% of all cancer patients.

Lastly, the video, which has been viewed over 6.6 million times, highlights that pain control treatments, such as morphine and opium, are available, ensuring that no cancer patient should die in pain.