![]() ![]() Sometimes, the pathological stage is different from the clinical stage (for instance, if the surgery shows the cancer has spread more than was seen on imaging tests). The pathological stage relies on the results of the exams and tests done before the surgery, as well as what is learned about the cancer during surgery. ![]() ![]() If surgery to remove the cancer is the first treatment, doctors can also determine the pathological stage (also called the surgical stage). For example, the survival rates for most types of cancer are based mainly on the stage at the time of diagnosis (see below). ![]() It can also be used when trying to get an idea of what a person’s outlook (prognosis) might be. The clinical stage is often a key part of deciding the best treatment options. For some cancers, the results of other tests, such as blood tests, are also used in clinical staging. The clinical stage is an estimate of the extent of the cancer based on results of physical exams, imaging tests (x-rays, CT scans, etc.), endoscopy exams, and any biopsies that are done before treatment starts. But in some cases, it is staged again after treatment has started. Typically, a cancer is staged when it is first diagnosed, before any treatment is given. Lab tests of cancer cells (from a biopsy or surgery) and blood tests can also be used to help stage some types of cancer.For more on biopsies, see Testing Biopsy and Cytology Specimens for Cancer. But biopsies can also be done using a thin, hollow needle or through an endoscope. During a biopsy, the doctor removes a tumor or pieces of a tumor to be looked at in the lab. Biopsies might also be needed to find out if a lump felt on an exam or if something seen on an imaging test in another part of the body is really from the spread of cancer. A biopsy often is needed to confirm a cancer diagnosis.For these exams, an endoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube (usually with a small video camera on the end) is put inside the body to look for cancer. Endoscopy exams are sometimes used to look for cancer.Imaging tests like x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound, and PET scans may also give information about how much and where cancer is in the body.Depending on where the cancer is located, a physical exam may give some idea as to how much cancer there is.Exams and tests to stage cancerĭifferent types of exams and tests can be used to figure out a cancer’s stage. Most types of leukemias aren’t staged the way cancers that form tumors are. For example, leukemias are cancers of the blood cells and therefore typically have spread throughout the body by the time they are found. The cancer stage is also a way for doctors to describe the extent of the cancer when they talk with each other about a person’s cancer. Although each person’s situation is different, cancers of the same type and stage tend to have similar outlooks. Many factors determine the best treatment options for each person.Ī cancer’s stage can also be used to help predict the course it will likely take, as well as how likely it is that treatment will be successful. Sometimes, cancers with different stages might be treated the same way, or cancers with the same stage might be treated in different ways. Of course, the stage of a cancer isn’t the only factor used to decide which treatments might be best. For example, the best treatment for an early-stage cancer may be surgery or radiation, while a more advanced-stage cancer may need treatments that reach all parts of the body, such as chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, or immunotherapy. Why is cancer staging needed?įor most types of cancer, doctors need to know how much cancer there is and where it is (among other things) to help determine the best treatment options. It’s how the doctor determines the stage of a person’s cancer. Staging is the process of finding out how much cancer is in a person’s body and where it’s located. ![]()
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