Staging is crucial to preparing a more customized approach to your disease. Your doctor will explain the differences between each type of staging. Also, it is helpful to discuss your options with your team.
When determining the stage of your cancer, your doctor will use different diagnostic tests to determine how far it has spread. Your doctor will then assess the extent of your disease and recommend the appropriate treatments based on your cancer stage. Cancer staging is important to help your doctor make an informed decision about the appropriate treatment options and follow-up visits. Fortunately, a variety of tests are available for a variety of cancer types, so you should have an understanding of what your doctor will do to treat your specific type of cancer.
In most cases, the most common cancer staging system is the TNM system. It is used by most hospitals and medical centers worldwide and describes the size of a patient’s main tumor and the spread to nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body. The TNM system can also refer to tumor-free cancer or tumor-infiltrating lymph nodes, as well as other types of cancer. When it comes to cancer staging, the TNM system is the most common, and most medical centers and hospitals use this standard to classify cancer.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Institute for Cancer Research (NCRI) use different terms for cancer staging, and it is important to understand these differences in order to make the most informed decision for your treatment. In a stage-free breast cancer, for example, you would be considered to be in stage II with a metastatic recurrence of the cancer to the bone. Nevertheless, most people don’t think of this type of cancer as a type of stage-free cancer, since the tumor is still in the breast tissue.
The head and neck has always represented a unique perspective in cancer staging. The head and neck region contains many anatomical sites and lends itself to adequate clinical assessment through palpation and visual inspection. In addition, nonsurgical organ preservation is often necessary, so comprehensive pathologic staging is not available for these types of cancer. This is why a detailed diagnosis of locoregional disease is critical. The most recent cancer staging classification includes updated criteria for advanced cases.
A doctor can also assess the blood levels of certain tumor markers. Prostate cancer, for instance, takes into account the levels of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a marker of cancer. The doctors can use this information to plan treatment and select an appropriate therapy. Cancer staging is an important part of cancer care, and patients should not disregard its importance. The survival rate given for this disease is very high and is important to the patient’s treatment.
