The 4 stages of cancer tell you and your doctor what to expect. The present staging system is used by doctors to assess the spread of cancer in a patient's body. In this type of staging, numbers are used to describe how far and how deep cancer has grown and has spread.
Staging is from stage 1, 2, 3, and 4 cancer. The first 2 stages are also called the early stages while 3 and 4 are the last stages of cancer. The stages describe the extent of the progression or growth of the malignant tumor inside your body.
Most tumor cases -- those types which form solid tumors --- are grouped into 4 stages of cancer.
Early Stages of Cancer
Stage 1 Cancer
In early stage, cancers are small and are contained within the organ where they started. Stage 1 cancer regardless of types is easy to treat and is curable most of the time.
Stage 2 Cancer
Stage 2 is still part of the early stages. The tumor at stage 2 is bigger compared to that in Stage 1. Lymph nodes close to the tumor are already affected. But stage 2 cancer is still treatable.
Last Stages of Cancer
Stage 3 Cancer
At stage 3, the cancer is still similar to Stage 2. Whether the tumor can be defined as Stage 2 or Stage 3 depends on the specific cancer type.
For example, in Hodgkins disease, Stage 2 means there are now cancerous lymph nodes located on one side of the diaphragm whereas in Stage 3 cancer, cancerous lymph nodes are those above and below the diaphragm.
Stage 4 Cancer
Stage 4 is already the last stage. Cancer that is diagnosed to be in the final stages usually is metastatic. The cancerous cells have spread either to other organs or throughout the body.
This is also called the advanced stage. The last stages of cancer are very difficult to treat and to cure.
Among the different types of tumor, pancreatic and lung cancer are the types that are diagnosed when they are already in the final stages.
The 4 stages system is one of the staging systems currently used in tumor cases. It is the most common and most popular staging system.
It is also called as the Overall Stage Grouping.
Staging tumors on a scale of 1 as the best prognosis and 4 as worst prognosis is easier for an ordinary person to understand.
But medical people have realized that the traditional system presently being used doesn't provide adequate, relevant and useful information about the progression of cancer. Information on how the tumor has grown is vital in planning the type of treatment.
Thus, the International Union Against Cancer developed and now maintains a new method of classifying the progression of cancer known as TNM staging. But the 4 stages of cancer system is still being used in diagnosing tumors.
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