April 4, 2025

We all have heard about cancer at least once in our lifetime, either through media, friends or other channels of communication. But what is cancer? And why does it create a sense of fear among most people? It is a disease characterised by uncontrolled division and growth of cells that can potentially invade nearby tissues and spread throughout the body.

 Cancer staging is a process used by healthcare providers to diagnose the amount of cancer present in the body, its location, and how far it has grown. This process helps them curate appropriate treatment plans and determine other factors that can help cure cancer as soon as possible. Understanding the stages of cancer and the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment can help you decide the best approach to managing the disease.

How is Cancer Staged?

When doctors stage cancer, they look at factors like the location of the tumour, its size, and whether it has grown and spread anywhere in the body. Other staging systems are also used to diagnose and treat cancer. One of the common systems used by most healthcare providers is the number system, wherein the tumour is staged with a number based on its size and growth.

• Stage 0: This stage is called ‘carcinoma in situ.’ During this stage, there are abnormal cells present in the body that are located at a particular spot and haven’t spread to the nearby tissues. Stage 0 cancer is mostly curable and considered non-invasive.
• Stage I: This is also known as early-stage cancer. In this stage, the tumour is present at its original location and hasn’t spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
• Stages II and III: In these stages, the cancer cells have grown and spread to the nearby lymph nodes but haven’t reached other distant organs.
• Stage IV: The cancer cells have metastasised, which means they have spread beyond their original site and have affected distant organs of the body.

Doctors also use letters and numbers to further categorise cancer, such as IIA or IIIC cancer. Generally, the letter A signifies slowly growing or less aggressive cancer cells, while D signifies highly aggressive cells. These categories help doctors categorise their patients well and curate appropriate treatment plans and medications for quick recovery.

How is Cancer Diagnosed?

There are several means through which cancer can be diagnosed. However, your attending doctor may choose one or more approaches that fit your case. Some of the standard methods of cancer diagnosis and staging include the following:

Physical Examination: During a physical exam, a doctor may feel certain areas of your body for lumps, which could indicate cancer. Your doctor may also look for other bodily changes, such as organ enlargement, changes in skin colour, and other abnormalities that might indicate cancer.

Blood Tests: They help identify abnormalities in the blood caused by cancer. They can also show markers that help examine the progress of cancer cells.

Imaging Tests: These tests help examine the patient’s bones and internal organs without invasive procedures. Some commonly used imaging tests include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerised tomography (CT) scan, and positron emission tomography scan (PET). They help locate the tumour and check for the spreading of cancer cells.

Biopsy: In a biopsy, a sample of your cells is collected from the area of concern (tumour). These cells are examined to diagnose cancer. Biopsy is usually the primary means for cancer diagnosis and staging.

What are the Stages of Cancer Treatment?

Appropriate diagnosis and staging are the initial steps in the stages of cancer treatment. As mentioned earlier, several diagnosis and staging methods are used to identify the type, size, and location of the cancer in the body.

There are several cancer treatments used to cure cancer or at least shrink it and slow its growth. These treatments are used to help the patient live as long as possible.

Primary Treatment: Surgery is the most common treatment for various types of cancer. If the cancer is in its initial stage and hasn’t spread, it can be removed by surgery. On the other hand, in some cases, the cancer cells may react better to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Therefore, the primary treatment for each individual with cancer can differ.

Ongoing Therapy and Monitoring: In addition to primary treatment, adjuvant therapy is used to kill any remaining cancer cells and lower the chances of their return. Any treatment, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, etc., can be used as adjuvant therapy based on the patient’s case. Similarly, neoadjuvant therapies are also performed before the primary treatment to make the treatment more effective.

Palliative Care: It focuses on reducing symptoms and providing a better quality of life for the patient. Palliative care can be administered along with other strong cancer treatments. It is often done by a team of experienced healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, etc. It can be provided at any stage of cancer to ensure the patient feels comfortable and relaxed. 

Post-treatment Care and Recovery: Most cancer treatments cause several side effects on the body, and coping with them while maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge. However, scheduling constant follow-ups and screenings and indulging in self-care is highly beneficial. Book an ambulance with Zenplus for your health appointments or other emergencies, and rest assured you get medical help on time. Post-treatment care done right helps reduce or avoid the chances of cancer recurrence.

Conclusion

The thought of cancer itself is very stressful. Understanding cancer staging and how diagnosis and treatments work can help you make informed decisions when needed. Early stages of cancer are often highly treatable and manageable. However, if left unattended, they can escalate to advanced stages and cause severe repercussions. Irrespective of the stage, several treatment options can be utilised to receive better and positive outcomes.

FAQs

1. What are the different stages of cancer?

Depending on the size and growth of cancer, there are primarily five stages numbered 0,1,2,3 and 4. Healthcare providers rarely use the stage 5 classification.

2. How is the stage of cancer determined?

The cancer stage is determined by examining the size of the tumour, whether it has spread to the nearby lymph nodes and whether or not it has metastasised.

3. What is stage 4 Cancer, and why is it considered advanced?

In the stage 4 classification, the cancer has spread and metastasised to various parts of the body, affecting distant organs, making it highly advanced and even fatal.