Lung Cancer Staging

Learning about lung cancer staging is imperative because this is one of the most prevalent and widespread diseases in the world today. It is said that lung cancer is the cause of almost 2 million deaths annually on a worldwide basis, and this is truly a staggering figure to comprehend. As most people may be aware, the primary cause of lung cancer is smoking but about 15% of lung cancer patients are non-smokers, so there are other genetic and air pollution related causes as well.

Before we delve into details about the staging of lung cancer, it is important to know more about this disease. The stage that the cancer is in can only be ascertained with the help of a detailed medical analysis and this is something only an experienced medical specialist can carry out. In order to avoid the complications that come in the later stages of the cancer, it is advisable to learn how to recognize the early signs of lung cancer effectively.

What is Lung Cancer?

Like any other cancer, lung cancer also points to a cancerous growth in the afflicted organs. This growth expands over time, and causes the organ to malfunction slowly, and it also starts spreading to neighboring parts (metastasis). Thus, a cancer is something that puts the entire human body at risk. The cancerous growth leads to an increase in the number of cells in the area and this ultimately leads to the growth of a tumor, and this is exactly what happens in the case of lung cancer. It is with the purpose of assessing this damage, that lung cancer staging came into the public eye.

There are two types of lung cancer that people are commonly afflicted with. Small cell lung cancer is the type of lung cancer that is caused by smoking, and it can only be treated with the help of surgery. Small cell lung cancer staging is slightly different from the generally talked about stages of lung cancer. On the other hand, non small cell lung cancer is the less commonly seen type of lung cancer and it can only be treated with the help of radiation and chemotherapy. Non small cell lung cancer staging can be divided into the 4 standard stages of cancer.

Staging of lung cancer is an important medical field of study, because it helps the doctors determine how far the cancer has grown. Depending on its maturity and severity, the doctor will give a prognosis of the cancer and try to devise a way to combat it. Just like any other medical diagnosis, lung cancer also requires the doctor to first see what stage the cancer has reached. These facts about lung cancer will also help you learn more about this condition.

Staging of Lung Cancer

There are four different stages of lung cancer, and placing a patient in one of these stages helps doctors determine how serious the condition is, and how far the cancer may have spread. There are a number of different tests that a patient is subjected to before the stage of lung cancer is determined, and these include MRI scans, x-rays, bone scans, CT scans and various other lab tests. The following lung cancer staging chart will tell you more about the same.

Stage of Lung Cancer	Description	Additional Information
Stage I	The cancerous growth is in its early stages and has not spread anywhere. As a result, it can be easily treated with the help of surgery.	Only 15% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at this stage. Stage IA implies a situation when the cancer is less than 3 cm in diameter. Stage IB is when the diameter is greater than 3 cm.
Stage II	This stage begins when the cancer starts spreading slowly to neighboring parts. The most commonly afflicted areas are the neighboring lymph nodes, the diaphragm, the lining of the lungs, the chest wall and the outer lining of the heart.	Stage IIA occurs when the cancer has spread to neighboring lymph nodes, even though its size is very small. Stage IIB implies a situation where the cancer is larger in size and has spread to other parts of the lung and the chest wall.
Stage III	In this stage the cancer grows even further, and starts affecting the blood vessels connecting the lungs to the heart. Needless to say, this is a highly dangerous stage to find oneself in.	Stage IIIA is when it has spread to a significantly large amount of lymph nodes on the same side of the chest. Stage IIIB means the cancer has spread to the other side of the chest as well, and it may even have entered the windpipe and the esophagus. In order to treat this stage, radiation and chemotherapy are an absolute must.
Stage IV	This is the worst stage possible, and the fact is that there is no permanent cure when a person is diagnosed in this stage. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and the only solution is damage limitation.	The lung cancer survival rate of people who are diagnosed in this stage is 10%. The period of survival is no more than 8 months.

With this information on lung cancer staging, it is important for you to get yourself checked for the same as soon as possible, especially if you are a smoker. Keep a lookout for lung cancer symptoms in your system, and take all the necessary precautions, because living with this condition is very difficult indeed.