Oncology A B C Lesson 1 1. What is staging? Staging describes the severity of a person’s cancer based on the size and/or extent (reach) of the original (primary) tumor and whether or not cancer has spread in the body. Staging is important for several reasons: Staging helps the doctor plan the appropriate treatment. Cancer stage can be used in estimating a person’s prognosis. Knowing the stage of cancer is important in identifying clinical trials that may be a suitable treatment option for a patient. Staging helps health care providers and researchers exchange information about patients; it also gives them a common terminology for evaluating the results of clinical trials and comparing the results of different trials. Staging is based on knowledge of the way cancer progresses. Cancer cells grow and divide without control or order, and they do not die when they should. As a result, they often form a mass of tissue called a tumor. As a tumor grows, it can invade nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also break away from a tumor and enter the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. By moving through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, cancer cells can spread from the primary site to lymph nodes or to other organs, where they may form new tumors. The spread of cancer is called metastasis. 2. What are the common elements of staging systems? Staging systems for cancer have evolved over time. They continue to change as scientists learn more about cancer. Some staging systems cover many types of cancer; others focus on a particular type. The common elements considered in most staging systems are as follows: Site of the primary tumor and the cell type (e.g., adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma) Tumor size and/or extent (reach) Regional lymph node involvement (the spread of cancer to nearby lymph nodes) Number of tumors (the primary tumor and the presence of metastatic tumors, or metastases) Tumor grade* (how closely the cancer cells and tissue resemble normal cells and tissue)
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 15:02:26 +0000
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