Lung Cancer Stages

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Staging the lung cancer is necessary to estimate the size of a tumour and detecting its metastases in the lymph nodes or other organs of the body. Staging helps an oncologist to decide the treatment course that the patient may require. Blood tests, CT scans, X-rays, PET scans and bone scans are done to know the exact stage of cancer.

Stage 0

This stage is usually considered harmless and may or may not need a treatment. At this stage, cancerous cells are found on the outer side of the air passages. Doctors generally do not consider this stage.

Stage I

At this stage, only lung/s is affected by the cancerous cells. This stage is divided into two stages- IA and IB, based on tumour’s size and/or if the cancer has also spread to main bronchus. Usually this stage of lung cancer is treated by surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Stage II

The cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, diaphragm, chest wall, lining of the lungs or outer lining surrounding the heart. Depending on the size of the tumour and effect of the cancer on bronchus, this stage is divided into IIA and IIB. The possible treatment course for stage II remains same as stage I.

Stage III

By this stage, the cancer is spread to the lymph nodes in the area of the chest, which is between the lungs and the heart. It is not necessary that cancer affects the blood vessels in this area. Cancer may also spread to the lower neck.

This stage is usually referred to as “locally advanced”. Further divisions of this stage are mentioned below:-

Stage IIIA:- At this stage, the cancer would have outgrown to the lymph nodes present in the centre of the chest, the area where the cancer started. This stage is usually treated by surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Stage IIIB:- Cancer is referred to be at this stage when it spreads to lymph nodes would have present on the opposite side of the chest. This cancer cannot be removed by surgery. The other treatment options are radiation therapy, combination of chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies.

Stage IV

The last and the deadly stage of cancer, in this stage, the cancer is already spread to the other lung or to other areas of the body, therefore, it cannot be removed with surgery. The treatment courses for this stage are combination of chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies or radiation therapy.

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Posted in Cancer, Stages