Staging of tumors helps the doctor to tell how extensive the disease is. However, several scans have to be done and tests carried out for a proper diagnosis. From the results, management plans can then be drawn. This is why professionals in the medical field emphasize on prostate cancer staging.
The TNM staging system is the commonly accepted technique of staging prostate cancer. It assesses metastases, lymph nodes and tumor separately. T staging comes first. In tumor stage 1, the malignancy cells are so insignificant such that they cannot be picked up by scans or the normal laboratory tests. A needle biopsy has to be done for confirmation purposes.
T2 stage tumors are inside the prostate gland only. They are in three groups. The initial one is T2a where just half of gland lobes are affected. In T2b, more than half of the gland has been affected and lastly in T2c, all of lobes have been affected. If the malignancy has spread to the capsule of the gland, it is classified as T3 tumor.
In tumor stage 4, the malignancy cells have gone on to affect the other regions of the body. The areas which are likely to be affected include the bladder, rectum, pelvic cavity sides and the muscles. The third and fourth stages are the most critical ones.
Lymph nodes are said to be positive if they have been invaded by cancer cells. They will increase in size during this time. In stage NX, the lymph lodes have not been affected. In N0, the lymph node close to the prostate gland have no cancer cells but in N1 stage, the lymph nodes close to the gland have been affected
When classifying according to the degree of spread, the first stage is M0 which signifies that the tumor is confined just within the pelvis. In M1, the cancer has finally got out of the pelvis. It has sub stages. The first one is the M1a where the lymph nodes next to the pelvis have been affected and M1b means the skeletal system has been affected by the tumor. In M1c, the malignancy has eventually spread to the rest of a body. A couple of factors are considered in doing the staging.
The cancer is said to be locally advanced if it has proceeded beyond the capsule. If it said to have metastasized, it means that it has reached the rest of body organs. The areas which are affected the most by cancer proceeding from the prostate gland are the bones and the lymphatic organs.
Metastasis can occur when the tumor is still in its initial stages. That is why people are advised to regularly go for blood tests and scans for early diagnosis. If some cancerous cells are found in other body organs, immediate action should be taken to control the spread.
The TNM staging system is the commonly accepted technique of staging prostate cancer. It assesses metastases, lymph nodes and tumor separately. T staging comes first. In tumor stage 1, the malignancy cells are so insignificant such that they cannot be picked up by scans or the normal laboratory tests. A needle biopsy has to be done for confirmation purposes.
T2 stage tumors are inside the prostate gland only. They are in three groups. The initial one is T2a where just half of gland lobes are affected. In T2b, more than half of the gland has been affected and lastly in T2c, all of lobes have been affected. If the malignancy has spread to the capsule of the gland, it is classified as T3 tumor.
In tumor stage 4, the malignancy cells have gone on to affect the other regions of the body. The areas which are likely to be affected include the bladder, rectum, pelvic cavity sides and the muscles. The third and fourth stages are the most critical ones.
Lymph nodes are said to be positive if they have been invaded by cancer cells. They will increase in size during this time. In stage NX, the lymph lodes have not been affected. In N0, the lymph node close to the prostate gland have no cancer cells but in N1 stage, the lymph nodes close to the gland have been affected
When classifying according to the degree of spread, the first stage is M0 which signifies that the tumor is confined just within the pelvis. In M1, the cancer has finally got out of the pelvis. It has sub stages. The first one is the M1a where the lymph nodes next to the pelvis have been affected and M1b means the skeletal system has been affected by the tumor. In M1c, the malignancy has eventually spread to the rest of a body. A couple of factors are considered in doing the staging.
The cancer is said to be locally advanced if it has proceeded beyond the capsule. If it said to have metastasized, it means that it has reached the rest of body organs. The areas which are affected the most by cancer proceeding from the prostate gland are the bones and the lymphatic organs.
Metastasis can occur when the tumor is still in its initial stages. That is why people are advised to regularly go for blood tests and scans for early diagnosis. If some cancerous cells are found in other body organs, immediate action should be taken to control the spread.
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