How is Lung Cancer Stage Determined?:

Lung cancer Stage is determined by three factors:
T, N and M.

T Represents the size of the cancer tumor, and whether it has invaded into surrounding structures such as the ribs and/or the heart.

N Represents the lung cancer lymph nodes involvement.

M Describes whether the lung cancer has spread to other organs.

Stage 0 Lung Cancer or In Situ Carcinoma

In lung cancer stage 0, the lung cancer is limited to the lining of airway passages, and has not yet invaded lung tissue. It can usually be cured if it is caught early and treated in a timely manner.

Often a cancer tumor undergoes mutations for years before it becomes a cancer. A cancer tumor in this stage is rarely detected clinically. Other than the fact that when examined under a microscope, it does look like cancerous tumor, it stays more or less dormant, silently undergoing increasing mutations -without invading surrounding tissues. This early stage of a cancerous tumor is called in situ carcinoma.

Lung Cancer Stage I

In Stage 1 Lung Cancer, the cancer has spread to layers of lung tissue but has not reached the lymph nodes or beyond.

Once the cancre tumor begins to invade, it is considered to be a true cancer. It is during this stage that the cancer tumors starts to grow larger, and spread to it's immediate surroundings. This is Cancer Stage I. During this stage, in almost all cases, it continues to remain asymptotic. If a Stage I (also sometimes called stage one or stage 1) cancer tumor is discovered by visual screening of the airways using a bronchoscope -or accidentally as it happens in many cases -it can be cured by a surgical procedure.

The new cancer staging guidelines adopted recently now classifies lung cancer stage I to consist of two groups: Cancer Stage IA representing patients with T1N0M0 status, and Cancer Stage IB representing patients with T2N0M0 status.

Lung Cancer Stage II

In Stage 2 Lung Cancer, the cancer has invaded neighboring lymph nodes in the lung or spread to the chest wall.

When the cancer tumor cells spread through the lymphatic channels and the lung cancer begin to grow in lymph nodes in the hilum of the lung (N=1), the tumor is considered to have reached stage II.

A lung cancer stage II (also sometimes called stage two, or stage 2) tumor can still be cured by surgical resection in many cases, but the risks of failure are significantly higher than those involving a Stage I cancer tumor.

Similarly, the new staging guidelines now splits Cancer Stage II into two groups: Stage IIA Cancers representing patients with T1N1M0 and Stage IIB Cancers representing cancer patients with T2N1M0. Moreover, patients with T3N0M0 (formerly considered as Stage IIIA Cancer patients) are now being included into Cancer Stage IIB.

Lung Cancer Stage III

When the lung cancer has spread from the lung to lymph nodes beyond the lung area, it is considered to be Lung Cancer Stage IIIA. When the primary cancre tumor has complicating factors (T=3) or the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest are involved (N=2), then the tumor is considered to be in Stage IIIA (also sometimes referred to as Lung Cancer Stage Three-A or Stage 3A Lung Cancer). The chance of cancer cure in these patients are relatively low, and lung cancer surgery remains to be an option only in a few carefully selected cases.

If the cancer has spread to other areas such as the heart, blood vessels, trachea, lining around the lung, esophagus or to the lymph nodes on the opposite side of the neck, it is considered to be a Stage IIIB Cancer. If the cancer cells are present in the chest fluid (pleural effusion), the cancer is considered to in Stage IIIB.

When the cancer tumor has advanced further in this manner, and shows advanced local and lymph nodal growth, it is not usually curable by surgery alone. A tumor in this stage is considered to be Stage IIIB (also sometimes referred to as Lung Cancer Stage Three-B or Lung Cancer Stage 3B)

Lung Cancer Stage IV

In Stage IV, cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver, bones, or brain.

If the cancer tumor has spread to distant organs, such as brain and bones (M=1) then the patient is considered to be in Stage IV (also sometimes referred to as Stage Four Lung Cancer, or Lung Cancer Stage 4).

In some cases, especially in the cases involving only a single metastasis of the brain, surgical removal of the lung nodules and brain cancer tumors may be separately attempted, but with a varied degree of success.

Staging Small Cell Lung Cancer

Staging for small cell lung cancer can be done using the TNM system. However, small cell lung cancer is generally classified into the following two cancer stages only.

• Limited small cell cancer: When the cancer tumors are confined to one lung and to its neighboring lymph nodes. This corresponds to TNM Stages I through IIIA.
• Extensive small cell lung cancer: When the lung cancer tumors have spread to both lungs, outlying lymph nodes, and/or other organs. This corresponds to TNM Stages IIIB (especially when it involves the lung lining or fluid) and IV.

Additional information available on: Lung Cancer Causes, Lung Cancer Risk Factors, Lung Cancer Early Signs, Lung Cancer Symptoms, Lung Cancer Early Diagnosis, Staging of Lung Cancer Tumors, Lung Cancer Treatment, Lung Cancer Vaccine, Lung Cancer Prognosis, Small Cell Lung Cancer, - SCLC, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - NSCLC, Mixed Small Cell/Large Cell Lung Cancer, Asbestos, Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer Caused by Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Pericardial Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Mesothelioma Symptoms, Mesothelioma Treatment, Mesothelioma Drugs, Mesothelioma Surgery, Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Drugs, and Mesothelioma Radiation Therapy.

Visit our Lung Disease reference page for additional information on various lung related health issues. Also check out cancer news for the latest Lung Cancer Staging Methods Related News, and Lung Cancer Articles Library for additional Lung Cancer Staging Related Articles.

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