Cancer staging can be confusing – several different staging systems are used, the same stage can mean different things for different types of cancer, and cancer may or may not be restaged if it recurs.
Your doctor has probably told you that you have a certain type of cancer and that it’s at a certain stage. If you don’t understand what that means, ask your doctor or another health care professional to explain it clearly to you.
What is cancer staging?
Staging is the process of determining how much cancer is in your body and where the cancer is located. The stage of a cancer represents how advanced the cancer is when it’s first diagnosed.
The stage describes four important things about a tumour:
the size of the tumour;
whether or not the tumour has spread to nearby (local) tissues;
whether or not the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes;
whether or not the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body (metastasized).
How is cancer staging done?
Your doctor determines the stage of your cancer by examining the results of diagnostic tests. These tests may include a physical examination, blood tests, biopsy, exploratory surgery, X-rays, ultrasound, or CT scan.
Why is cancer staging important?
Staging is important because it:
tells your doctor how much cancer is in your body and where it is;
helps your doctor figure out your prognosis (the prediction of how your cancer will progress);
helps in deciding on the best treatment options for your cancer;
describes your cancer in a specific and standardized way that all health care professionals understand.
For general information about cancer staging, go to
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