Staging is a process that tells a doctor if the cancer has spread and if it has, how far. The stage is an important step in determining treatment options. In general, the following information helps doctors evaluate the cancer's stage and treatment options.
Staging is different for each specific type of cancer. The following staging describes the progression of cancer for most solid tumors:
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Stage 0 - Carcinoma in situ. The cancer has not become invasive yet.
Stage I - Cancer is small but is invading into tissue.
Stage II - Cancer is bigger or might have involved a small amount of lymph nodes.
Stage III - Cancer is large or involves many lymph nodes.
Stage IV - Cancer has metastasized, or spread to other organs and parts of the body.
Blood cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma are staged differently and do not follow this type of system. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, it is important to talk with your doctor about the stage of cancer and what that means for treatment.
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