What Are The Different Stages Of Cancer?

Timely diagnosis and treatment can save a patient even from deadly diseases such as cancer. You noticed some signs and symptoms of this disease and booked an appointment with a doctor. If you are suffering from this disease, the doctor will tell the stage of cancer. Stage of cancer describes the size and spread of cancer. Following are the four stages of cancer:

Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV

The success rate of cancer treatments such as alkaline diet for cancer, oxygen therapy for cancer, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy depends on the stage of cancer. Specific information is used to describe cancer in these four stages. This information includes how a tumor affects the rest of the body of the patient.

Why Is Cancer Described In Different Stages?

It is important to describe this disease in different stages because of the following reasons:

This helps doctors in creating a treatment plan for the patient. Cancer in early stages can be addressed with surgery. If the disease is in an advanced stage, chemotherapy may be required for treatment.
Stage of cancer also gives an idea of results after the treatment. Recovery depends on the stage of cancer.
There is a national database keeping track of treatments used by hospitals. This database also records the success of treatment. Researchers can use this data to compare and find out which treatments are more effective.

How do doctors decide the stage of cancer?

Doctors use test results and information they get from the tumor to decide the overall stage of cancer. Cancers involving tumors are staged in five groups referred to with Roman numerals. The staging system is different for other cancers such as brain cancer, blood cancer and lymphoma.

Stage 0:

In stage 0, cancer is not developed. However, there are some abnormal cells which can grow into cancer.

Stage I:

Also known as early-stage cancer, in this stage, cancer is small and in one area only.

Stage II and III:

Stage II and III describe cancer that has spread into nearby tissues. Cancer in stage II and III is larger.

Stage IV:

Cancer in this stage is also known as advanced or metastatic cancer. It has already grown into other parts of the body.

To determine the stage of cancer, the doctor will take a physical exam and perform some other tests. These tests may include blood tests, imaging scans and other lab tests. Following are the tests performed to determine the stage of cancer: