The Importance of Lung Cancer Stages
A staging system is used to classify the different types of cancer. Doctors use the lung cancer stages in the progression of the disease identified. Treatment options and prognosis of patients with this stage of the disease is diagnosed affected
Test
A physical examination, blood tests and images are used to identify the lung cancer stages, in order to find the source of the symptoms of lung cancer. Tests to detect metastases in other parts of body size, and location of the tumor. A CT scan, MRI or PET is used to find the identification phase.
Stages
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by TNM classification. “T” stands for tumor, “M” is the presence and degree of metastasis and “N” indicates that the lymph nodes. Each letter is a number between 0 and 4 is associated, personalized and / or severity of it.
T1 or T2 tumor size less than 3 inches or more that do not extend to the chest. Labels T3 and T4 tumors in the thoracic cavity or unusable, respectively.
Node receives a score of 0-3. A score of 0 means not affected. N1 identify tumors with involvement of lymph nodes in the lung activities. N2 for tumors of the chest cavity or respiratory tract and includes the neck and upper N3.
Metastases shows that the disease has spread. A score of 0 means the cancer has spread, while the means M1. usually means a larger number of shorter life expectancy.
Once the data is reached, the lung cancer stages is divided into four phases. Phase 1 and 1B initial phase without distant metastases and no lymph node involvement. At this stage the cancer is usually available. Phase 2 and 2B are awarded if the lymph nodes are affected. Forecast has been reduced, but the tumor remains unfulfilled.
Phase 3A and 3B are advanced lymph nodes. At this point, in other parts of the lungs and chest are also affected. Phase 4 will be useless. The treatment should be extended to patient comfort and limit their lives. The prognosis at this stage is less than two percent.