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Posted on November 4, 2015 in Skin Cancer
KEY POINTS
The process used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body is calledstaging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment.
The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:
Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood:
When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood.
The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if Merkel cell carcinoma spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually cancerous Merkel cells. The disease is metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, not liver cancer.
In stage 0, the tumor is a group of abnormal cells that remain in the place where they first formed and have not spread. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread tolymph nodes or distant parts of the body.
In stage IA, the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller at its widest point and no cancer is found when the lymph nodes are checked under a microscope.
In stage IB, the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller at its widest point and no swollen lymph nodes are found by a physical exam or imaging tests.
In stage IIA, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters and no cancer is found when the lymph nodes are checked under a microscope.
In stage IIB, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters and no swollen lymph nodes are found by a physical exam or imaging tests.
In stage IIC, the tumor may be any size and has spread to nearby bone, muscle, connective tissue, or cartilage. It has not spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body.
In stage IIIA, the tumor may be any size and may have spread to nearby bone, muscle, connective tissue, or cartilage. Cancer is found in the lymph nodes when they are checked under a microscope.
In stage IIIB, the tumor may be any size and may have spread to nearby bone, muscle,connective tissue, or cartilage. Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes near the tumor and is found by a physical exam or imaging test. The lymph nodes are removed and cancer is found in the lymph nodes when they are checked under a microscope. There may also be a second tumor, which is either:
In stage IV, the tumor may be any size and has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver, lung, bone, or brain.
A cancer treatment plan is a valuable tool for cancer patients, as well as their doctors and caregivers. There are many benefits of a cancer treatment plan:
Cancer can be overwhelming, but a cancer treatment plan can help simplify the experience for both patients and their doctors.
In addition to expert specialization, the radiation oncologists at SERO are dedicated to supporting our clients. One of our greatest assets in doing so is a cancer treatment plan. Your cancer care team will likely provide a written cancer treatment plan.
