Cancer is classified by stage to develop a treatment plan. Stages range from zero to four, with zero being the least severe and four being the most aggressive. The TNM system is also used, which classifies cancer by tumor size, lymph node involvement, and metastasis. Different types of cancer can be classified, and seeking a second opinion is recommended if healthcare professionals disagree on staging.
Several systems are used to classify cancers by stage in the process of developing a treatment plan. Staging this disease is important, because it allows a medical professional to evaluate it and use standardized terminology to describe it, so the medical team can work together to develop the best course of treatment. Stages are ranked in order of severity, with slow or nonaggressive tumors at the bottom of the scale and serious, fast-moving tumors at the top.
A very common system for staging cancers ranges from zero to four, with a zero stage being the least severe, while four being the most aggressive. An alternative numbered staging system is represented in Roman numerals, with the option of I, II, III and IV. Some clinicians break down the Roman numeral staging system further, with classifications such as IIa and IIb to describe conditions that fall slightly between stages.
Some medical professionals use the TNM system, which classifies a cancer with three separate parameters: tumor size, lymph node involvement, and metastasis. For example, someone might have T3, N0, M1 cancer, which means the tumor was medium in size, no lymph nodes are involved, and it has started to metastasize slightly.
Other oncologists refer to in situ, localized, regional, and distant tumors when discussing staging. In situ tumors are those that involve only a few cells, which means they are caught early or develop slowly. Localized ones affect a larger area, while regional cancers are those that have begun to spread to nearby organs and lymph nodes. In a distant cancer, it has spread to remote areas of the body, reflecting widespread metastasis. This system is essentially interchangeable with the Roman numeral staging system.
All types of cancer can be classified according to a staging system, including breast, colon, lung and cervical cancers. Lower stages usually require less aggressive treatment because the tumor is confined to a small area and can be removed and eliminated. Higher stages require more serious treatment and, in some cases, may be considered incurable due to its spread.
Medical professionals sometimes disagree about staging a particular case, and seeking a second opinion can sometimes generate conflicting information. If healthcare professionals give different answers, it is a good idea for the patient to ask why they disagree on the staging assessment and how their treatment approaches might differ.
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