Kidney Cancer Stages / Staging
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Video: Cancer StagingDr. Timothy McCay explains what the stages of cancer mean and how this information is determined. He also discusses why determining the stage of cancer is critical to treatment planning.
Dr. Timothy McCay explains what the stages of cancer mean and how this information is determined. He also discusses why determining the stage of cancer is critical to treatment planning.
Kidney cancer staging begins by evaluating three key components of cancer: size, location and spread. In the earliest stage of kidney cancer (stage I), the cancer is localized to the kidney. Later stages are characterized by the growth and spread of cancerous tissues throughout the body (stage IV).
Understanding the TNM System
Kidney cancer is staged using The American Joint Committee on Cancer's (AJCC) TNM system, a commonly accepted method based on three key components:
- Tumor (T) describes the size of the original tumor.
- Node (N) indicates whether the cancer is present in the lymph nodes.
- Metastasis (M) refers to whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
A number (0-4) or the letter X is assigned to each factor. A higher number indicates increasing severity. For instance, a T1 score indicates a smaller tumor than a T2 score.
The letter X means the information could not be assessed.
Once the T, N, and M scores have been assigned, an overall cancer stage is assigned.
Kidney Cancer Stages:
- Stage I Kidney Cancer: The tumor is small (7 cm or less across) and limited to the kidney. (Example: T1, N0, M0)
- Stage II Kidney Cancer: The tumor has grown larger but still remains within the kidney. There is no evidence of spread to lymph nodes or distant sites. (Example: T2, N0, M0)
- Stage III Kidney Cancer: The tumor has grown beyond the kidney and may now extend into the adrenal glands or nearby tissues or organs. The cancer may or may not have spread to nearby lymph nodes. (Example: T1, N1, M0)
- Stage IV Kidney Cancer: The tumor may be any size and has grown beyond the kidney. The cancer may have spread to lymph nodes or distant sites
like the liver, lung or bladder. (Example: Any T, Any N, M1)
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