31 January 2025

Stages of Cancer

Cancer staging is an indicator used to determine how far cancer has developed and spread within the body.

It is important to determine the cancer stage to allow doctors to plan the most effective treatment for cancer patients.

The cancer stage is determined based on the TNM category.

• T stands for primary tumor.

• N refers to the lymph nodes and indicates whether the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes.

• M stands for metastasis, which is the spread of cancer cells to other tissues or organs in the body.

In general, cancer is divided into 5 stages, from stage 0 to stage 4. Here’s a more detailed explanation:

• Stage 0
  At this stage, cancer cells are just beginning to grow and have not spread to other tissues or organs. Cancer at stage 0 often shows no symptoms, so many patients may not realize they have it.

• Stage 1
  When it reaches stage 1, it means that the cancer cells have developed and formed a small tumor.

• Stage 2
  At this stage, the cancer begins to spread to the lymph nodes around the primary tumor, and the size of the cancer cells has grown larger.

• Stage 3
  Entering stage 3, cancer cells begin to spread. At this stage, the cells have grown deeper into the tissue and organs. Usually, cancer cells have spread to more distant lymph nodes, but not yet to tissues or organs far from the primary cancer.

• Stage 4
  In stage 4, the spread of cancer cells becomes more alarming. If cancer reaches this stage, it means that cancer cells have spread to other tissues and organs in the body. For example, cancer cells that initially developed in the pancreas may spread (metastasize) to the brain.

Cancer Grades Unlike cancer stages, cancer grades are determined based on the nature and shape of the cancer cells. Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Grade 1: At this first grade, the cancer cells still resemble normal cells or do not appear abnormal. Additionally, the cancer cells do not grow and develop rapidly.

• Grade 2: Grade 2 cancer is characterized by the presence of abnormal cells. The growth of the cells also becomes faster than that of normal cells.

• Grade 3: The higher the grade, the more severe the cancer. At grade 3, cancer cells clearly appear as abnormal cells and begin to spread, damaging the healthy tissue around them.

That’s an explanation of cancer stages that is important to understand. Even in the early stages, cancer still requires proper treatment to prevent it from worsening or spreading to other parts of the body. Therefore, it’s important to continue with regular check-ups.

Reviewed by: dr. Innosensius Ibnu Ishwara, M.K.K.

Source: Siloam Hospital Health Article

Photo: freepik.com