If surgery is done, the pathologic stage (also called the surgical stage) is determined by examining the tissue removed during the operation.Ĭancer staging can be complex, so ask your doctor to explain it to you in a way you understand. MPM typically is given a clinical stage based on the results of a physical exam, biopsy, and imaging tests (as described in How Is Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosed?). Mesotheliomas starting in other places are less common and do not have formal staging systems. It's used only for malignant pleural mesotheliomas. The system described below is the most recent AJCC system, effective as of January 2018. Once a person’s T, N, and M categories have been determined, this information is combined in a process called stage grouping to assign an overall stage. Higher numbers mean the cancer is more advanced. Numbers or letters after T, N, and M provide more details about each of these factors. The spread (metastasis) to distant sites (M): Has the cancer spread to distant organs, like the bones, liver, the lungs or pleura (lining of the lung) on the other side of the body, or the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen)? The spread to nearby lymph nodes (N): Has the cancer spread to nearby lymph nodes? The extent (size) of the main tumor (T): How far has cancer spread in the pleura? Has it spread into other nearby pleura or structures? Can it be removed with surgery? The staging system most often used for MPM is the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system, which is based on 3 key pieces of information: These mesotheliomas start in the pleura, which includes the lining of the lungs and the inner lining of the chest wall. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), the most common type, is the only mesothelioma that has a formal staging system. Each person with cancer is unique, but cancers with similar stages tend to have a similar outlook and are often treated in much the same way. And within a stage, an earlier letter (after the number) means a lower stage. A higher number, such as stage IV, means cancer has spread more. As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. The stages of mesothelioma range from I (1) through IV (4). Doctors also use a cancer's stage when talking about survival statistics. It helps determine how serious the cancer is and how best to treat it. The stage of a cancer describes how much cancer is in the body.
EBS TV Sunday with EBS: Entewawekalen Wey - Part 115Īfter malignant mesothelioma is diagnosed, the next step is to try to figure out if it has spread, and if so, how far.