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- Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma Stages
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View Clinical TrialsMesothelioma Stages
A cancer’s stage refers to how large the primary tumor is and how far the cancer has spread in the patient’s body. Knowing the stage helps the care team understand the disease and develop an appropriate treatment plan. It also impacts the patient’s prognosis, or chance for a successful treatment.
TNM stages
The TNM staging system is used for most cancers.
TNM staging describes cancer based on three main factors:
- The size of the primary tumor (T) and whether it has invaded nearby tissues.
- The cancer’s spread to nearby lymph nodes (N).
- Whether the cancer has metastasized (M), or spread, to distant parts of the body.
Each TNM factor is assigned a number that reflects the extent of the cancer. Tumors (T) are scored between 1-4, nodes (N) 1-3, and metastasis (M) 0-1.
After all diagnostic and staging procedures are performed, your doctor should know the TNM stage of your cancer and be able to explain how this stage impacts your treatment and prognosis.
0 to IV stages
Often, TNM staging can be simplified into stages four stages (I-IV). For some cancers, there is also a stage 0. Larger numbers mean the cancer is more advanced and is generally more difficult to treat.
- Stage 0 reflects the presence of abnormal cells that have not spread to tissue that is immediately nearby. Stage 0 is considered precancerous, though it could become cancer in the future. This stage is also called “in-situ,” which means “in its original place.” Not all cancers have a stage 0.
- Stage I cancers are typically small and confined to the area where they began.
- Stage II and Stage III cancers have spread to nearby tissue and/or lymph nodes.
- Stage IV cancer has spread to distant areas of the body. This is also called metastatic cancer. Stage IV cancer often cannot be cured, but frequently can be managed like a chronic disease.
Mesothelioma Stages
(source: National Cancer Institute)
Stage I
Stage I is divided into stages IA and IB:
- In stage IA, cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer may also be found in one or more of the following:
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the lung.
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the organs between the lungs.
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the top of the diaphragm.
- In stage IB, cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall, and in each of the thin layers of tissue that cover the lung, the organs between the lungs, and the top of the diaphragm on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer has also spread into one or more of the following:
- Diaphragm.
- Lung tissue.
- Tissue between the ribs and the inside lining of the chest wall.
- Fat in the area between the lungs.
- Soft tissues of the chest wall.
- Sac around the heart.
Stage II
In stage II, cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer may also be found in one or more of the following:
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the lung.
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the organs between the lungs.
- The thin layer of tissue that covers the top of the diaphragm.
Cancer has spread to lymph nodes along the center of the chest on the same side of the chest as the tumor.
or
Cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall, and in each of the thin layers of tissue that cover the lung, the organs between the lungs, and the top of the diaphragm on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer has also spread into one or both of the following:
- Diaphragm.
- Lung tissue.
Cancer has spread to lymph nodes along the center of the chest on the same side of the chest as the tumor.
Stage III
Stage III is divided into stages IIIA and IIIB.
- In stage IIIA, cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall, and in each of the thin layers of tissue that cover the lung, the organs between the lungs, and the top of the diaphragm on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer has also spread into one or more of the following:
- Tissue between the ribs and the inside lining of the chest wall.
- Fat in the area between the lungs.
- Soft tissues of the chest wall.
- Sac around the heart.
Cancer has spread to lymph nodes along the center of the chest on the same side of the chest as the tumor.
- In stage IIIB, cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall, and may also be found in the thin layers of tissue that cover the lung, the organs between the lungs, and/or the top of the diaphragm on one side of the chest. On the same side of the chest, cancer may have also spread into one or more of the following:
- Diaphragm.
- Lung tissue.
- Tissue between the ribs and the inside lining of the chest wall.
- Fat in the area between the lungs.
- Soft tissues of the chest wall.
- Sac around the heart.
Cancer has spread to lymph nodes above the collarbone on either side of the chest or cancer has spread to lymph nodes along the center of the chest on the opposite side of the chest as the tumor.
or
- Cancer is found in the inside lining of the chest wall, and in each of the thin layers of tissue that cover the lung, the organs between the lungs, and the top of the diaphragm on one side of the chest. Cancer has also spread to one or more of the following:
- The chest wall and may be found in the rib.
- Through the diaphragm into the peritoneum.
- The tissue lining the chest on the opposite side of the body as the tumor.
- The organs in the area between the lungs (esophagus, trachea, thymus, blood vessels).
- The spine.
- Through the sac around the heart or into the heart muscle.
Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes.
Stage IV
In stage IV, cancer has spread to the tissue covering the lung or the lung on the opposite side of the chest, peritoneum, bones, liver, lymph nodes outside the chest, or to other parts of the body.
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